Theiling Online    Sitemap    Conlang Mailing List HQ   

Re: USAGE : English past tense and participle in -et

From:Garth Wallace <gwalla@...>
Date:Sunday, December 28, 2003, 8:31
Andreas Johansson wrote:
> Quoting "Mark J. Reed" <markjreed@...>: > > >>On Sun, Dec 28, 2003 at 12:15:03AM +0100, Andreas Johansson wrote: >> >>>Quoting David Barrow <davidab@...>: >>> >>> >>>>alot for a lot is a spelling matter >>> >>>Indeed, but a useful one; adopting the former for the quantifier allows us >> >>to >> >>>restrict the later for indef article plus the noun "lot". >> >>Argh. The quantifier IS the indef article plus the noun "lot". >>I don't understand why you feel the need to make a distinction where >>none exists. > > > Because that's the way I learnt English. > > But let's forget me. _If_ there's no difference, _why_ do we see the one-words > spelling "alot" commonly used, but _not_ **"abunch" or similar, and this by > native speakers?
I think (DQMOT) that the spelling "alot" first appeared as an alternate spelling of "a lot" used adverbially, where it makes a certain amount of sense, and spread to the quantifier usage due to analogy/laziness. -- Nightstar IRC: More fun than a box of ferrets! <http://www.nightstar.net/> With your IRC client: <irc://irc.nightstar.net/> With Java IRC client: <http://www.nightstar.net/chat.php>