Are "thus" and "like this" always interchangeable? Thank you in advance.
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8They mean the same, but 'thus' sounds very formal and old-fashioned.– Kate BuntingJan 18, 2023 at 16:15
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1 Answer
The word "thus" is now somewhat rare, and is generally used only in very formal writing, or in fixed and fossilized phrases used in specific contexts. I do see it in mathematical proofs, and in literary critic. where it often means "therefore" and not "in this way" so the words are not always interchangeable. Some examples:
- Addition is commutative, and thus 2+3 = 3+2.
- Turin's haste and easy anger leads to disaster, and thus we see the importance of good character in Tolkien's writing.
"Thus" was traditionally used to indicate the direction a helmsman was to follow on a sailing ship. "This way" would not often be used in that context.
In current writing I would avoid "thus" except in contexts where it is still in frequent use.
answered Jan 25, 2023 at 23:53
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+1 for a good answer, although I'm not quite as averse to "thus" as you are; I use it occasionally. I think that your advice to learners is excellent, though, since in many cases it can sound unnatural (as in OP's example sentence). Jan 26, 2023 at 5:15
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@MarcInManhattan Oh I use it occasionally myself, I have something of a fondness for both formal and old-fashioned language. In fact I just used it in a comment here. But I believe that I know when it works and when it does not. The above was written as advice to a learner, who may well not know what it will sound odd or wrong. Jan 26, 2023 at 16:18