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© Copyright 2001, Jim Loy
In a speech class in college, I had points marked off because I used "till" when I "should" have used "until." An example might be "Wait till you hear this." That is strange, because the dictionary says that they are synonyms. We use synonyms (words that mean the same) in order to vary our language, and to use a more precise word in some precise situation. "Car" and "automobile" are synonyms; most of us prefer to say "car" while others prefer to say "automobile." "Book" and "paperback" are synonyms, with not quite the same meaning; "paperback" giving us more information.
Let's go back to "till" and "until." As far as I can tell, they are exact synonyms. The choice between them is a matter of personal preference. I say "until;" many people say "till." A few authors use both, and that seems a little strange to me for some reason. Is that a legitimate case of varying the words to avoid boredom?