Re: Let us lettuce (was Re: Fiat Lux)

"Wade, Guy" wrote:
> FWIW, I cannot agree the non-interchangeablility of 'let's' and 'let us.'
> The latter may be more formal (and therefore out of vogue), but not
> un-understandable ("let us dance" as an invitation/imperative).
Yes, not completely non-interchangeable.  However, one can never use
"let's" to mean "allow us", while "let us" can be used that way.  If I
say "Let's go", I can only mean that I want you and I to go somewhere, I
cannot mean that I want you to allow me and another person to go
somewhere.  That's what I meant by them not being interchangeable.
However, "let us go" CAN mean either I want you and I to go somewhere
or, more likely, that I want you to allow me and someone else to go
somewhere.

> But Muke hit on the answer when he suggeted the difference between
> inclusive we and exclusive we.
Exactly, which is why "let's" is used a sort of first person imperative,
or "request" if you wish.

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