"Whilst" Topic

Watching British TV lately, I have heard several presenters use the word "whilst". I have been to Britain many times and I have never heard this word used in general conversation. I suspect that the presenters were being pretentious, am I correct to think that ?

Can't say. It may be that or it may be a catchword that was used and caught on in the industry.

We've had the same thing with the word "gravitas" among others – not common usage words but picked up during political campaigns and used by spokespersons and new presenters / talking heads, with its use spreading faster than a well scratched bit of poison ivy rash.

I use it in conversation relatively often.

And moi, pretentious? I think not.

And I remember that in the TV show, Big Bang Theory, Sheldon Cooper suggests the word 'amongst' is archaic & seldom used. Another word in common usage with me.

Next, they'll be going after 'whereupon'…

Everything is being replaced by 'whatever'.

Expats at work use it a lot. They also use the word 'revert' instead of response or reply

I use it more writing than speaking, but I use it.

" the word "gravitas" among others – not common usage words but picked up during political campaigns and used by spokespersons "
On my own island, the terms "copper fasten" and "ring fence" are over used by spokespersons and politicians.

'Revert' is a verb, whilst response and reply (in the context of jdpintex's sentence) are nouns.