This is one of my pet hang ups, if you are european you'll probably say one, if you are american the other.
2007-01-14 21:37:13 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Momentarily means in a moment.
"I will take care of that momentarily."
I'm American, BTW.
Of course, since British and American English are different languages, then they may mean different things.
2007-01-14 21:40:02 · answer #1 · answered by bashnick 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
For a moment - because I'm British!
You are quite right that the Americans tend to use it to mean 'in a moment', and it is creeping into our language as such over here. But most Brits would say, "I'll be with you in a moment", not "I'll be with you momentarily".
Since I prefer my language to be concise as well as precise I prefer the British use.
Cheers!
2007-01-17 07:31:33 · answer #2 · answered by Hilary Y 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think both, and I'm an American.
The American Heritage Dictionary lists both, plus a third:
1. For a moment or an instant.
2. Usage Problem In a moment; very soon.
3. Moment by moment; progressively.
The usage problem is silly imo. You can look it up yourself to see what it is.
2007-01-14 22:38:26 · answer #3 · answered by rcpeabody1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As an Englishman, I am always alarmed to hear an American pilot say 'the aircraft with be in the air momentarily' Yikes! I hope it will be a bit longer than that!
2007-01-14 23:01:49 · answer #4 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im amreican and this is what it says and i added my own opinion at the end
mo·men·tar·i·ly
–adverb 1. for a moment; briefly
but i can also see it as i will do something momentarily as in i will do something in a moment
guess i will have to go with for a moment being that is what Webster and the dictionary says
2007-01-14 21:41:53 · answer #5 · answered by jingles 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Momentarily" means "for a moment"
"Presently" means "in a moment"
The distinction between the two words is worth keeping. I don't think American vocabularies extend to "presently" so they use "momentarily" for both.
2007-01-14 23:15:21 · answer #6 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For a moment in English
In American it means both
2007-01-14 21:40:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
British English speakers do not use this expression. It's American English.
English speakers would say 'in a moment' or more likely in the region of England I live in 'in a minute'.
2007-01-15 00:48:46 · answer #8 · answered by skaters mam 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're right. I am european and I would have chosen 'in a moment' but I actually looked up the translation into German and I'm changing it to 'for a moment'.
The translation is 'momentan' and that means 'for now', so my answer is 'for a moment'. :-)
2007-01-14 21:53:58 · answer #9 · answered by Nat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my mind they are not at all interchangeable:
- Momentarily: At that moment-briefly (mometarily out of commision)
- in a moment: After a brief period, soon (I'll be with you in a moment)
- for a moment: For a brief period (we are only on this earth for a moment)
2007-01-14 21:48:51 · answer #10 · answered by bata4689 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋