[Grammar] Even If/Whether or not

[Checkmate]

"Call him whether or not you are going"

"Call him even if you are going"

Both mean something that is unreal but possible. What's the difference?

 

[emsr2d2]

I find the first unnatural. I would use:

Call him, whether you are going or not. (The instruction is to call him if you are going and call him if you're not. We don't know the reason for the call.)

Alternatively, you could say:
Call him to tell him whether or not you're going. (The instruction is to call him specifically to give him the information about your attendance.)
Tell him by phone whether or not you're going. (Same meaning.)

Your second sentence:
Call him even if you are going. (The instruction ensure the listener knows that they must call him if they are not going but also if they're not going.)

 

[Checkmate]

Whether or not: (The instruction is to call him if you are going and call him if you're not. We don't know the reason for the call.)

Even if: (The instruction ensure the listener knows that they must call him if they are not going but also if they're not going.)

Don't both mean same then? :-?

 

[Raymott]

No. The second assumes that it is already arranged that he will call them if he is not going - otherwise "even if you are going" would not be right.
There is no such assumption prior to saying the first sentence.

They both say that he has to call them regardless of whether he goes, but the connotations are different.

 

[Checkmate]

"Call him whether you are going or not" (The speaker doesn't know which would happen but the listener still has to call "Him" in either situations).

"Call him even if you are going" (The speaker asks listener who is not going anywhere yet but will definitely be to call "Him" no matter what the situation is).

Am I right?

 

[Rover_KE]

Checkmate, you need to get into the habit of ending your sentences with the appropriate punctuation mark.

 

[Raymott]

"Call him whether you are going or not" (The speaker doesn't know which would happen but the listener still has to call "Him" in either situations). Yes.

"Call him even if you are going" (The speaker asks listener who is not going anywhere yet but will definitely be to call "Him" no matter what the situation is).

For the second, it's already arranged that the person call him if he's not going. This is not a presumption with the first. That is the difference (given that you asked), but it's not a difference worth worrying about.

 

[Checkmate]

For the second, it's already arranged that the person call him if he's not going. This is not a presumption with the first. That is the difference (given that you asked), but it's not a difference worth worrying about.

Does it change the meaning with "Even though".

"Call him even though you are going".

 

[emsr2d2]

Does it change the meaning with "Even though".

"Call him even though you are going".

"Even though" makes it clear that the speaker knows for certain that the person is going. That is not in question. The instruction is still to call "him".