Re: V2 (plus Géarthnuns serendipity)

In a message dated 4/17/2000 1:10:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
LAOKOU@EMAIL.MSN.COM writes:

<< I'd better go (from "I had better go")  --> I better go.
 I'd rather go (from "I would/should rather go) --> I'd rather go. (no
 change) *I rather go.
 (and "rather" normally plunks before verbs, doesn't it? -- He rather likes
 it.)
 Negative works like your description of "better" -- I'd rather _not_ go.

 Why the former permits the aux. to be dropped while the latter doesn't, I
 have no idea. Perhaps it will one day. I wouldn't be at all surprised if
 certain native speakers were unable to identify what the "'d" stood for in
 either of these expressions, much as what the contraction "let's" stands for
 is becoming increasingly abstruse to many people. >>

Further speculation:  could it be this derives from:  I/you etc. would do
better to go > I'd (do) better (to) go.  Just a thought.