Today's English lesson

From the American Heritage Book of English Usage:


"However" equal to
"Nevertheless" -- can it be true?





However beginning a sentence.

Sailing in rough weather can be very unpleasant. However, we found it exciting.

Some people say you should never begin a sentence with however when it means “nevertheless” or “on the other hand.” They are probably in the minority. We asked the usage panelists if they observed this rule. Thirty-six percent said “usually or always,” 19 percent said “sometimes,” and 42 percent said “rarely or never.”

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Looks as though you're in the clear if you choose to use "however" to begin a sentence. I, however, think I'm leaning toward the "don't begin a sentence with it" side. I think that common usage has made it acceptable; however, if one wishes to be highly accurate and unambiguous, the word should be replaced with "nevertheless" at the beginning of a sentence if it's completely necessary. Nevertheless, use it freely as you feel comfortable doing so, and you won't be going against any hard-and-fast rules.