I am not a native speaker. On a previous question of mine, I thanked for an answer by saying:
So the phrase is not an idiom, since it is applied in its literal sense.
I consciously chose since over because, because — well, I like that usage of since, even though I know that some (native speakers) don't like it. Nonetheless, that choice got me thinking for a while, and it occurred to me that I even could have used more alternatives, namely as or for, without changing the meaning.
So, on a general note, here are the alternatives:
- Statement A (is true), because statement B (is true).
- Statement A (is true), since statement B (is true).
- Statement A (is true), as statement B (is true).
- Statement A (is true), for statement B (is true).
Are these completely interchangeable? Or interchangeable in certain situations? Or can you point out any (not-so-)subtle differences between any of them? Are there even more synonyms?