... or not.

[Henchman999]

It has come to me, perhaps from Levana in an opium dream,
that the subsequent 'or not' to 'whether' is never needed
and in an offense to usage.

"I don't know whether I'll go to the circus."
or
"I don't know whether or not I'll go to the circus."

Henchman

 

[sillygirl89]

Actually specifying the "or not" is more correct. "Whether" is a conjunction expressing a choice. The meaning needs to be clear, whether to "go to the circus" or..... "go to the movies", "stay at home", or, most simply, "not go to the circus". It's only a freak of evolved usage that we insert the "or not" where we do anyway. Dropping it is, of course, proper, but, again, it is an evolved construction.
Signed,
Grammar Nerd

 

[Lord Pmann]

Remember the rule, I before E except after C.

Think about it.

 

[Sweetdaisymae]

I don't know whether or not I will eat the chocolate...
Actually that's bull, I know I will eat it. Studies show your subcontious makes the decision seconds before your contious mind is aware that there is a decision let alone what your decision is.

 

[Henchman999]

whether

I suppose the better way out is to say,
"I might go to the circus."

Thanks for the replies.

This is my first day here. This place is entirely
satisfactory, and I say that not in the way
TS Eliot used the word, 'satisfactory.'

Henchman