"As usual" versus "As always"

[Jesus1]

Hello! how is it going?

It?s saturday, isn?t it? :oops:

My questions:

1.- Example: I went to the doctor as usual.

Has "As usual" the meaning of "as always"?

I am trying to say "I go to the doctor everyday
and that day (we don?t know which day
in the past) I went as well.

2.- What on earth and what the devil. Do
both of them mean the same?

Here it?s my examples:

What on earth were you doing in
my bedroom?

What the devil are you doing in my
bathroom now?

Thanks indeed!

[Mister Micawber]

.
1-- In Japanese, 'itsumo' means both always and usually, but in English the two words are of different frequency: always = without exception; usually = most times/cases.

The user of your phrases, as usual and as always, probably intends about the same frequency, because the phrases themselves have more to do with habit: as usual suggests an expected, habitual repetition, while as always suggests the inevitability of the recurrent event.

That's how I see them, anyway.

2-- While the two epithets are evoked by a similar lack of expectation on the part of the speaker, What on earth expresses simple shock and surprise, while What the devil adds a note of upset or irritability to the mix.

As you may know, there are a number of similar phrases--

What in the world...?
What in heck/hell...?
What the blazes...?
What in the name of...?

The ones which border on the sacrilegious or obscene tend to convey more anger.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Jesus1]

Hi! How are you doing?

Thanks for your replies, Mr. Micawber!

I don?t know if I understood correctly
the answer to my first question, so...

HAve ' As usual ' and 'as always' got the same
meaning in my sentence?

Example: 'I went to the doctor as usual'
(=I went to the doctor when
something happened to me, and
that day (we don?t know which day)
I went as well)

However...

I usually buy chicken for dinner (=not
always)

I always buy chicken for dinner (=always, everyday)

As for my second question,

you said: What 'a' hell...?

I thought it was What 'the' hell...?

Can I say 'What 'a' hell...?' as well?

Thanks a million!

[Mister Micawber]

.
I went to the doctor as usual/as always -- both carry the same general message: it is a routine.

I usually buy chicken for dinner (=not always) -- Yes.
I always buy chicken for dinner (=always, every day) -- Yes

You said: What 'a' hell...? -- No, I wrote, What in hell. What the hell is OK too (except in mixed company).
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Jesus1]

Hi, Mr. Micawber! Thanks indeed!

Yes, you wrote "in". I got confused. I knew I
had seen something that I had never learnt
before. It was not an "a" but an "in".
Well, What in/the hell was I thinking of?

:evil: :evil: :evil:

Enjoy Sunday!

Jes?s