2

Some of you might have noticed that I oftentimes use the conjunction "as long as" in my questions and my posts.

I was just wondering -- does "as long as" in the sense "since" [=in view of the fact that, considering, inasmuch as] have any currency in AE, and can it be used just about safely for whatever register of language but the most formal prose?

You might want to consider the following sources and examples for this:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/as+long+as

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/as%20long%20as

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/since

As long as (= since/inasmuch as) you're not interested, I won't tell you about it.

As long as (= since/inasmuch as) you're already here, you might as well stay.

As long as (= since/inasmuch as) you have offered, I accept.

As long as you've offered your daughter the possibility for information and she's stated her preference, there's no reason to insist.

As long as you've provided her with the opportunity to learn, it's best that you wait for indications of her readiness... source

Improve this question
3
  • 3
    Current AmE may be a lot "slacker" than BrE in this respect, but certainly that as long as = since sense would not generally be endorsed on my side of the pond. For Brits, it's as long as = so long as = provided = if. In some contexts there would be a lot of difference (since implies that the condition has been fulfilled, which would sometimes be presumptuous if the matter is still in abeyance).
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Mar 7, 2014 at 22:00
  • 4
    In AmE, I would take “for as long as” to mean “since.” Without the for I agree with Fumble.
    – B. Szonye
    Commented Mar 7, 2014 at 23:32
  • As a speaker of AmE, I don't think the sense of "since" as given that this conditional statement is true (or while this conditional statement is true) is accurately captured by seeing that very well unless seeing that is understood in a highly nuanced way.
    – virmaior
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 14:53

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

In AmE: As long as has the following connotations:

1) Provided or If or since (not time related) - see note below:

As long as you use the term correctly, people will understand you.

Note: Since is usually used for a past condition that is now fulfilled. So, it's not an exact fit in meaning to as long as.

As requested in comments I will attempt to expand upon as long as vs. since.

The easiest way to compare these is to compare their synonyms: if vs. because.

If you think of as long as as being a fancy way of saying if, then you will see its usage to be a way of constructing a conditional.

If you go to the store, we will have food for dinner tonight.

As long as you go to the store, we will have food for dinner tonight.

If you think of since being a fancy way of saying because, you will see it is a fulfilled condition.

Because you went to the store, we have food for dinner tonight.

Since you went to the store, we have food for dinner tonight.

This is why I was willing to include since on the list of connotations. It's not an exact fit of meaning, but they are closely related in a cause-and-effect type of relationship.

2) Comparions of length

The new trail was not as long as the old trail.

3) Since (when used with For)

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by photography.

All three of these have currency in American English.

1&3 are less formal to my ear.

For formal writing I would use provided for #1.

Provided you use the proper terminology, you will be understood.

I would likely avoid #3 altogether in formal writing, preferring an exact date range where possible.

Otherwise, if not possible I would use from or since:

From childhood onward, he showed a propensity toward the cello that would flourish into a career.

Improve this answer
19
  • David, the only thing is you seem to be considering the conjunction "since" in the sense "during the period subsequent to the time" as in "He hasn't been home since [=for as long as] he graduated", or in the sense "continuously from the time when" as in "they have been friends since [=ever since/for as long as] they were in grade school"; whereas what I mean is "since" in the sense "seeing that/considering/inasmuch as" as in "since [=as long as] I won't tell you about it" or "since [=as long as] you're already here, you might as well stay".
    – Elian
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 10:56
  • I mean "Since [=as long as] you're not interested, I won't tell you about it".
    – Elian
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 11:20
  • 1
    @nourishedgourmet Case #1 is the way you asking about. This is the since/provided sense you are asking about in your last example. It is used in AmE. But, for some reason (don't ask why) it sounds strange to say "As long as you're not interested,". It sounds like you're being facetious.
    – David M
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 11:33
  • 1
    Also note that some people object to using since to mean because.
    – B. Szonye
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 12:53
  • 1
    And for some of these, so long as may sound better.
    – B. Szonye
    Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 12:55

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .