Even, Yet, and Still

Until recently I thought that the pleonasm “even still” was to be found only in the uncertain writings of college freshmen. Then I read this in the current issue of my favorite writer’s magazine:

Traditionally published books get the nice displays, posters and extra attention from store managers. Even still, many of the titles end up in the bargain bin.

I did a Google search and found millions of examples of the wretched expression. It seems to be especially popular in the titles of songs, poems, and blogs. Here are some examples:

. …even still, I’d happily do it all over again.
…even still, Safari sucks.
Even still we lose our way
Is Anyone Even Still Blogging Anymore?

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’ll try to explain why “even still” does not belong in careful writing.

As adverbs modifying comparatives, the words are virtually interchangeable:

She is even happier today than she was yesterday. She is still happier today than she was yesterday.
Fans want still more details of their favorite celebrities. Fans want even more details…

If the expression is intended to mean “still,” then “still” is enough:

Is anyone still blogging?

If it is intended to mean “yet,” then “yet” or one of its synonyms should serve: nevertheless, however, notwithstanding:

Nevertheless, I’d happily do it all over again.
Notwithstanding, Safari sucks.
Nevertheless, we lose our way.

That being said, sometimes the words even and still can come together correctly when the “even” is being used as an intensifier and the “still” is an adverb of time:

Do they even still make Zima?
Why Hilary is even still in the race….

Finally, here’s a dilly of a headline that I’ll leave to our readers to sort out:

Yet Even Still More U.S. Presidential Election Maps Already


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Womanly Words - Gyn

Well, I couldn’t let the men have all the fun. English has a lot of words that contain the Greek root meaning woman or female - gyn. This appears at the start or in the middle of many common words. As with the andr- words, many of these have biological or scientific origins. Here’s a list to start you off:

acrogynous - plants having female organs at the top of the stem (có túi noãn)

androgynoid - a male with female features

androgynous - having both male and female characteristics; also applies in botany (ái nam ái nữ, lưỡng tính)

apogynous, apogyny - referring to the condition of having non working female reproductive organs (tính nhuỵ thui)

calligyniaphobia - a fear of beautiful women (if you’re scared of all women, then you have gynephobia or gynecophobia)

ergatogynous - describes insects who have worker females

gyneceum - harem or woman’s house (hậu cung)

gynander - woman who has male characteristics (gyndandrous refers to plants)

gynarchy - government run by women (chế độ nữ quyền)

gynecentric - regarding women as primary or central

gynecium - the pistil, or female part of a flower

gynecogen - something that stimulates female sexual characteristics (hormone)

gynecology - the study and treatment of diseases that affect women’s reproductive systems

gynogamete - ovum (trứng)

gynoid - robot shaped like a woman

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a while vs. awhile

A while is a noun meaning “a length of time”

“I slept for a while.”
- (compare with “I slept for a bit” and “I slept for three hours”)
“I was away from my desk for a while.”
- (compare with “I was away from my desk for two minutes”)

Awhile is an adverb, meaning “for a time,” or literally, “for a while”.

“I slept awhile before dinner.”
(compare with “I slept deeply before dinner” and “I slept badly before dinner”.)
As you can see, the words can be used almost interchangeably in some cases – but a while needs to be accompanied by a preposition, such as “for” (“I slept for a while”) or “ago” (“I left work a while ago”). Awhile always means “for a while”.


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