So/Thus

[Simosito]

What are differences between so and thus?

 

[Anglika]

Some examples, please.

 

[Simosito]

I've read that both so and thus mean "in this way" but I can't understand when I have to use so and when thus.

 

[Englishlanguage]

I've read that both so and thus mean "in this way" but I can't understand when I have to use so and when thus.

In some contexts so and thus may have the same meaning. However, thus is much more formal and I think it's pretty unlikely to use it in spoken language.
Note that they are not always interchangeable.
I'll let some native speakers provide some examples because I don't want to mislead you with improper examples.

 

[David L.]

Consider "thus' as being used in poetic, literary or formal writing, and 'so' in everyday writing and speech.
You may hear a teacher of mathematics/geometry or physics use "thus', as in "...which gives us angle A = 40º. We know that angle B is 90º and thus, angle C must equal 60º."
Similarly, in scientific publications, the stating of a conclusion may start with "Thus, our hypothesis that cartoon violence and adolescent crime ..."

 

[Simosito]

Thanks!

 

[nyggus]

Consider "thus' as being used in poetic, literary or formal writing, and 'so' in everyday writing and speech.
You may hear a teacher of mathematics/geometry or physics use "thus', as in "...which gives us angle A = 40º. We know that angle B is 90º and thus, angle C must equal 60º."
Similarly, in scientific publications, the stating of a conclusion may start with "Thus, our hypothesis that cartoon violence and adolescent crime ..."

Nonetheless, it's worth adding that "so" is also very popular in academic technical writing when the meaning is that of "thus". The mathematics example you gave is very good because there are maths authors who love using "thus" in as many places as possible. Sometimes the thus-sentences are so often that I fail to recognize what is a reason of what.

Thus I am really tired of reading such a text. Thus I put it down, thus showing my disrespect to the author. Thus I could say I show disrespect to the thus-sentences, which I don't like, thus the thus-sentences could be thought of as a reason of my lack of knowledge that can be attributed to my dislike to the "thus". Thus I will stop here because too many of the "thus" words appeared almost in a row.

Tired... of thus...
Nyggus

 

[Simosito]

OM...

Again, Thanks