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Q&A How did "as" amass all its confusing "broad and vague meanings"?

as. Do not use the conjunction as when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, As a potential work stoppage threatened to ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by PSTH‭  ·  edited 3y ago by PSTH‭

#4: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-06-01T00:25:48Z (over 3 years ago)
  • >**as**. Do not use the conjunction *as* when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, *As a potential work stoppage threatened to block the opening of school, the arbitrators revised the wording of the contract*. Does as mean “when,” “because,” or “while”?'<sup>1</sup>
  • https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=as doesn't answer my question. Incontrovertibly,
  • > “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while”
  • are NOT completely synonymous. For example "since" can mean "because", but "because" can't mean "since".
  • **More Examples.** [General Electric is the only company that has retained its place on the DJIA under its original name since <s>because</s> the index's inception.](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/who-were-original-dow-jones-industrial-average-djia-companies.asp) When <s>While</s> did you last get your teeth cleaned?
  • [1]: https://subscription.westacademic.com/Book/Detail/25181
  • <sup>1</sup> Bahrych, Merino. *Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition* ([2017][1]). 343.
  • >**as**. Do not use the conjunction *as* when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, *As a potential work stoppage threatened to block the opening of school, the arbitrators revised the wording of the contract*. Does as mean “when,” “because,” or “while”?
  • Bahrych, Merino. *Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition* ([2017][1]). 343:
  • > “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while”
  • areN'T completely synonymous. For example "since" can mean "because", but "because" can't mean "since". E.g. [General Electric is the only company that has retained its place on the DJIA under its original name since <s>because</s> the index's inception.](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/who-were-original-dow-jones-industrial-average-djia-companies.asp)
  • >### as [12]
  • >Ultimately, _as_ is the same word as _also_.
  • Old English _alswā_ ‘in just this way’ was used in
  • some contexts in which modern English would
  • use _as_, and as it was weakly stressed in such
  • contexts it gradually dwindled to _als_ or _ase_ and
  • finally to _as_.
  • John Ayto, *Word Origins* (2005 2e), p 37. [Etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=as) doesn't answer my question.
  • [1]: https://subscription.westacademic.com/Book/Detail/25181
#3: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2021-03-13T10:07:22Z (over 3 years ago)
Tagged
#2: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-03-13T06:00:43Z (over 3 years ago)
  • From Bahrych, Merino. *Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition* ([2017][1]). 343:
  • >**as**. Do not use the conjunction *as* when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, *As a potential work stoppage threatened to block the opening of school, the arbitrators revised the wording of the contract*. Does as mean “when,” “because,” or “while”?
  • https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=as doesn't answer my question. Incontrovertibly,
  • > “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while”
  • are NOT completely synonymous. For example "since" can mean "because", but "because" can't mean "since".
  • **More Examples.** [General Electric is the only company that has retained its place on the DJIA under its original name since <s>because</s> the index's inception.](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/who-were-original-dow-jones-industrial-average-djia-companies.asp) When <s>While</s> did you last get your teeth cleaned?
  • [1]: https://subscription.westacademic.com/Book/Detail/25181
  • >**as**. Do not use the conjunction *as* when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, *As a potential work stoppage threatened to block the opening of school, the arbitrators revised the wording of the contract*. Does as mean “when,” “because,” or “while”?'<sup>1</sup>
  • https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=as doesn't answer my question. Incontrovertibly,
  • > “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while”
  • are NOT completely synonymous. For example "since" can mean "because", but "because" can't mean "since".
  • **More Examples.** [General Electric is the only company that has retained its place on the DJIA under its original name since <s>because</s> the index's inception.](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/who-were-original-dow-jones-industrial-average-djia-companies.asp) When <s>While</s> did you last get your teeth cleaned?
  • [1]: https://subscription.westacademic.com/Book/Detail/25181
  • <sup>1</sup> Bahrych, Merino. *Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition* ([2017][1]). 343.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2021-03-13T05:59:52Z (over 3 years ago)
How did "as" amass all its confusing "broad and vague meanings"?
From Bahrych, Merino. *Legal Writing and Analysis in a Nutshell 5th edition* ([2017][1]). 343:

>**as**. Do not use the conjunction *as* when you mean “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while.” Its broad and vague meanings can create confusion. For example, *As a potential work stoppage threatened to block the opening of school, the arbitrators revised the wording of the contract*. Does as mean “when,” “because,” or “while”?  

https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=as doesn't answer my question. Incontrovertibly, 

> “since,” “because,” “when,” or “while” 

are NOT completely synonymous. For example "since" can mean "because", but "because" can't mean "since". 

**More Examples.** [General Electric is the only company that has retained its place on the DJIA under its original name since <s>because</s> the index's inception.](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/100214/who-were-original-dow-jones-industrial-average-djia-companies.asp)  When <s>While</s> did you last get your teeth cleaned? 


  [1]: https://subscription.westacademic.com/Book/Detail/25181