According to this entry in the Urban Dictionary on "Whilst" (2nd definition on this page: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=whilst), it can only be used in mid-clause. I have skimmed other questions on this exchange regarding the use of "whilst" and "while", but they more or less arrive at the conclusion that they can be used interchangeably, with the only distinction being in style. Nowhere have I found anyone pointing to a distinction in correct semantic placement. However, come to think about it, I've never encountered a single sentence that starts with whilst. You always find it in the middle.
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1I think this is one of these myths that had absolutely no justification when somebody first came up with it, and has been repeated since. Google Ngrams shows that the proportion of "while"s that are capitalized is just around the same as the proportion of "whilst"s.– Peter ShorCommented Oct 28, 2013 at 12:09
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Would you be willing to use "Whilst" in the beginning of a sentence. Personally, I think it sounds...not very good?– VincentCommented Oct 28, 2013 at 12:12
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I tried an Ngrams Search as well, only of "While" and "Whilst" from 1800 to 2008 (excluding those that are not capitalized), and "While" seems to be a lot more frequent.– VincentCommented Oct 28, 2013 at 12:16
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I think there's a geographical factor at play: "whilst" is fairly common in the UK (maybe moreso when it means "whereas" rather than "during the time that..."), but maybe it's less common in other countries? It's used both at the start of a sentence and mid-sentence.– Neil CoffeyCommented Oct 28, 2013 at 16:37
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Vincent -- An example would be: "Whilst I'm happy to help you, my time is limited". Or: "Whilst on holiday, he came down with food poisoning".– Neil CoffeyCommented Oct 28, 2013 at 16:39
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2 Answers
The urban dictionary is not a very reliable source. Of the entries there for "whilst", I think ony number 4 is worth bothering with. It's an archaic form of "while" (less so in British English than US English), that can be used anywhere "while" can, with very slightly different connotations (but probably shouldn't be, because it's a bit archaic).
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+1. Regardless of where you placed in in a sentence, you would only use whilst in a poetic or ironic context, unless you were deliberately trying for an old-fashioned effect. Commented Oct 28, 2013 at 16:52
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@Chris Sunami I agree with Neil's comment above. Which means I don't accept what you so dogmatically say. Commented Oct 28, 2013 at 23:40
'Whilst' at the beginning of a sentence is fairly common in formal British English. Whilst many Americans seem to feel it is archaic, when reading academic texts by British English speakers you may come across it as a comparative device.
You won't generally find people saying it though.
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1This post would be improved by giving evidence for this usage, for example, by providing a dictionary definition or examples in the wild. I encourage you take the site tour and review the help center for additional guidance. Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 15:00