While + several times?

[Progress]

Is it correct to use the conjunction while (which means time duration) with, for example, "several times," "many times" etc?

While they have talked many times, they have come to trust each other.
While they talked many times, they came to trust each other.

I think they are somhow strange because the duration of each time when they talked are separated. I think it is correct to say that while they talked, they came to trust each other. If they are strange, what would you say through the accumulation, many times, by them talking to each other, they came to trust each other.
How about:
Talking many times, they came to trust each other.
As they talked many times, they came to trust each other.
As they have talked so many times that they have come to trust each other.

[MrPedantic]

Hello Progress

"While" in this sense doesn't have a time implication; it means "despite the fact that", or "accepting the fact that", or simply "although".

The two examples you give aren't ideal, as the second clause is insufficiently contrastive. These examples would reflect the more usual context:

1. While they have talked many times, they have never really understood each other.

— which means: "Although they have talked many times, they have..."

2. While it's true that The Simpsons isn't as good as it used to be, it's still worth watching.

— which means "Although the Simpsons isn't as good as it used to be,..."

All the best,

MrP

[RonBee]

I would leave the while off. Perhaps:

They have talked many times, and they have come to trust each other.

~R