Hello! Will it sound alright if I use "whatsoever" and "howsoever" instead of "whatever" and "however" in the following sentences? Whatsoever it may take, I will spy him out. Howsoever long it may t

Herman Korotin

Hello! Will it sound alright if I use "whatsoever" and "howsoever" instead of "whatever" and "however" in the following sentences? Whatsoever it may take, I will spy him out. Howsoever long it may take, I will spy him out. If they sound a bit archaic, that's fine.

Feb 6, 2021 1:26 PM

Answers · 6

Whatsoever is usually only at the end of a sentence, like “at all” “I have no interest in this whatsoever” which means “I have no interest in this at all” Howsoever I’ve never heard used before. In your two sentences it would be much better to just say whatever and however

February 6, 2021

It’s possible I’m wrong. English has so many weird phrasal verbs! I think you can spy out something but I don’t think you can spy someone out. So you could “Spy out his hiding place” but you can’t “spy him out” But again I may be wrong, just have never heard it used.

February 6, 2021

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