"Since when" vs "how long"

[thehammer]

Hi there, what's the difference between 'since when' and 'how long'?

1- Since when have you been going there?
1a- How long have you been going there?

In another thread in this forum I was told 'since when' is used as an Irony.

Is the following sentence grammatical too?

2- Since what date/time/year/month have you been going there?

 

[Barque]

1- Since when have you been going there?

This refers to the point in time that you started going. I've been going there since December.

(I think you're more likely to hear "When did you start going there?" or "When did you first go there?")

1a- How long have you been going there?

This refers to the duration. I've been going there for four months.

In another thread in this forum I was told 'since when' is used ironically as an Irony.

I said it's often used that way. I didn't say it's always used that way. There could be exceptions. Since it's often used that way you need to ensure it doesn't come across that way (if you don't want to sound that way).

2- Since what date/time/year/month have you been going there?

In my opinion you're more likely to hear "When did you start going there?"

 

[thehammer]

This refers to the point in time that you started going. I've been going there since December.

(I think you're more likely to hear "When did you start going there?" or "When did you first go there?")

This refers to the duration. I've been going there for four months.


I said it's often used that way. I didn't say it's always used that way. There could be exceptions. Since it's often used that way you need to ensure it doesn't come across that way (if you don't want to sound that way).

In my opinion you're more likely to hear "When did you start going there?"

Can I ask 'When have you started going there'?

 

[Tarheel]

Can I say, "When did you start going there?"

Yes, you can.

(If you are going to do it that way, say 1a, 1b.)

 

[Barque]

Can I ask 'When have you started going there'?

I believe "When did you start going there?" is the natural way to say it.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's not really irony, but more like incredulity.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, incredulity. And it's often meant to challenge in some way what the person has just said.

Cambridge lists it a way of expressing anger: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/since-when

 

[Skrej]

I hear (and personally use) it far more to express disbelief or incredulity than anger. I find it curious that Cambridge focuses only on the anger aspect.

 

[jutfrank]

I find it curious that Cambridge focuses only on the anger aspect.

Me too. And I don't think 'anger' is really the right word.

 

[Skrej]

'Outrage' or even 'indignation' might be more apropos, but I'm not as bothered by 'anger' as I am by the idea that 'anger/outrage' is the only sense of the phrase.

 

[Tarheel]

I would expect in most in most cases for it to be more or less equivalent to "Are you kidding me?"