Proper Use of the Words Weather, Whether and Wether

Weather, whether or wether?

            One of the more confused words in the English vocabulary is the use of weather and whether.  Have you ever made this mistake?  To avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future, find out below the proper use of the words weather, whether and wether.

The uses of weather

            Weather commonly pertains to the state or condition of the atmosphere, including temperature, snow or rain.  Weather can also be used as a verb which means the ability of something ‘to endure or withstand specific conditions or issues.’ Weather as a verb can also mean ‘to erode.’ Here are some examples of how to use weather in a sentence.

As a noun: “The weather is so unpredictable so I will not go fishing as a precaution.” “Yesterday was recorded as the hottest weather for this season.” “The weather forecast yesterday showed that the town will experience scattered thunderstorms in the evening.”

As a verb meaning ‘to erode:’ “That rope exposed in sea water will weather in a few days.” As a verb meaning ‘to withstand:’ “We just have to weather the coming storm before we head back to our home.” “Although the houses weathered the typhoon, most of them were severely damaged.”

The uses of whether

            Whether functions as a conjunction word. It is used similarly to ‘if’ and usually introduces an indirect question. This indirect question often asks choices between two alternatives. For example: “Joey wants to know whether his next clinic visit is still on schedule.” “Whether you like it or not, I will attend the prom this coming Friday.” “You should go ahead and call the shop to know whether they are open on Saturdays and Sundays.” “In the next few days, the members of the Congress will make a decision whether to proceed with the Freedom of Information Bill.”

Note: A popular phrase where ‘whether’ is usually used is in ‘whether or not.’ This literally means ‘regardless what happens or of the circumstances.’ Here are some examples: “Whether or not we win tonight, what’s more important is we give our best shot.” “Whether or not you come with me, I will still watch that movie.” “Whether it’s sunny or not, I will still do the laundry.”

Summary

Ø  Weather – atmospheric conditions. It also means, to endure, to erode or withstand.

Ø  Whether – offers possibilities or alternatives to choices being made.

Wether – another confusing word

            In the English language, the word ‘wether’ is often seen as a misspelling for the words whether and weather, but in fact, wether is a noun which means a castrated male sheep or goat. More specifically, the word wether is a gender-specific noun and a common noun. In the past, the practice of castration is encouraged to ensure that only the best males will breed with females. Now, that we know what wether means, we can easily take it out of our option when deciding which to choose between weather and whether.