Talk:whatever

Definiteness & specificity

Whatever is definite but non specific. If you say "use whatever tools you have", it would not be reasonable to ask "which tools that I have." Brett (talk) 13:04, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

In the Determiner section, what is the difference between the first sense and the second one? Victor Bob [talk] 13:17, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

I think the synonyms clarify.--Brett (talk) 13:24, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

It's OK to take whatever bus comes first.

We took whatever bus came first, number 41 I think.

It is really hard for me, a non native speaker, to figure out the different meanings behind whatever in the above sentences. Victor Bob [talk] 13:30, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

In the first, there is no specific bus. In the second, there is, but it cannot be recalled.--Brett (talk) 14:45, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

Understood, thank you very much! Victor Bob [talk] 14:47, 1 December 2023 (UTC)

You have told me that it is definite and non-specific, but why did you just change its label to (indefinite)? Victor Bob [talk] 12:05, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

I apologize. Multi-tasking and doing stuff too quickly.

I think there are definite and indefinite versions, the definite being similar in meaning to 'the' and the indefinite to 'any'. Even with any, which is clearly indefinite, the question "which tools" would be ruled out pragmatically because the meaning is "I don't care".--Brett (talk) 15:37, 7 December 2023 (UTC)

Contractions and negative endings

We use these happily here. Brett (talk) 13:18, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

It looks a little bit casual and informal. Victor Bob [talk] 04:53, 27 December 2023 (UTC)

Perhaps from a mid 20th century perspective.--Brett (talk) 17:18, 27 December 2023 (UTC)