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Topic: Regardless, irregardless, & nevertheless

A carefully couched email asked us for the differences and/or similarities between or among regardless, irregardless, and nevertheless.

Notwithstanding our confusion about how nevertheless fits into the debate over irregardless and regardless (okay, nevertheless means "in spite of that" while regardless means "despite everything"), we are happy to investigate.

Nevertheless is by far the oldest term; dating at least to the 14th century, nevertheless has meant "notwithstanding"; "however"; "yet"; and "in spite of that."

Just as nevertheless was created by joining together the words never, the, and less, so was regardless the product of regard plus less. The original (and now-archaic) sense of regardless described something "not meriting regard." Since the late 19th century, however, regardless has been attached to a verb to indicate its occuring "without regard to impeding elements, as of prudence, expense, or effort"; "despite everything." Need an example? Someone insists on using the term irregardless regardless of what usage commentators advise.

This leads us, of course, to irregardless. Sometime in the early part of the last century, irregardless was coined by blending irrespective and regardless. Irregardless is used—primarily in speech—to mean "regardless." Although usage commentors have advised against its use, and although lexicographers describe its usage as "nonstandard," irregardless has yet to disappear from the lexicon.

Questions or comments? Write us at wftw@aol.com Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and Web sites including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.