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

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.

When used as a quantifier, "a bunch" is completely synonymous with "a lot";
should we start spelling it "abunch"?  What about "awholelot"?
The fact is, MANY English quantifiers consist of the indefinite article
plus a noun;  I don't see the need to reanalyze any of them, but it
certainly makes no sense to pick and choose, reanalyzing some but not
others.

-Mark

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