What is Awhile?

Quite often online, you'll see someone write about "awhile," as if it were an adverb as well as a noun. "Wait awhile," they write. "It took awhile to get my visa. I'll be with you in awhile." All these uses are incorrect, of course. The word is "while."

"While" is a versatile word. It can function as a noun, an adjective, a preposition, or a transitive verb. The only adverbial use, according to Merriman-Webster Online Dictionary is in the phrase once in a while, indicating now and then or occasionally.

The most common use of "while," however, indicates a period of time. Why some writers prefix the word with an a befuddles me--except, that having once seen it online, they may think it is correct. You wouldn't write "anhour" or "aday" would you? Does "afortnight" affront you?

My favorite use of "while" occurred many years ago when I was teaching my daughter to talk. She had heard me say (too many time, probably), "a little while." When I asked her to come to the kitchen for a meal, she responded, "in a couple of whiles." Well, it is a noun, why can there be a couple of them?

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