Cato's Grammar Grumble

[DavidRoss]

That's not the question ...

No, it's a tangential observation. Re. the question to which you refer," it ought be "one another's back" (singular) -- unless one of these fellows is a Siamese twin with more than one back.

[DavidRoss]

A language lives on neologisms.

A language (and culture) grows on neologisms representing new concepts indicating increased knowledge and understanding. A language (and culture) decays on neologisms spawned by intellectual slovenliness and illiteracy.

[Ten thumbs]

Probably would be better, but it doesn't answer the question about the "each other" construction. Forget about hands. It could apply to anything: They washed each other's car, or they washed each other's cars. They watched each other's back, or they watched each other's backs.

In the cases you quote above, the singular is perfectly okay, they each only have one back. They could of course have more than one car each in which case the plural would be needed. However, most of us have two hands.

[Ten thumbs]

This isn't a grumble. It's just my idiosyncrasy.
I like using apostrophes for truncations. It seems to me to be a feature of the English language.
Why then are they abandoned in modern idiom?
When I'm writing, I use:

wan'o, not wanna
go'n'o not gonna
cup o', not cuppa
i'n'it, not innit

etc.

Of course, if I ever find a publisher, he can do what he likes with these!

[The Six]

wan'o,
go'n'o

I think it's because these look very confusing. People would think you're throwing Hawaiian (from Hawai'i) in there. We've also come to tend to favor phonetic spelling, which makes "wanna" more favorable.

[DavidRoss]

"Wanna" is not a contraction of "want to," but rather represents the sound of speech. Likewise "cuppa," "gonna," "donno," & "shonuff!"

[Cato]

"Wanna" is not a contraction of "want to," but rather represents the sound of speech. Likewise "cuppa," "gonna," "donno," & "shonuff!"

Yes, these are "word slurs," although one could call them a kind of contraction.  And yes, we do not want English to resemble Hawaiian.  0:)

[eyeresist]

A language lives on neologisms.

A cromulent observation!

[Karl Henning]

Reported as spoken at the GOP convention:

"Maine got screwed of half their delegates."

[Ten thumbs]

"Wanna" is not a contraction of "want to," but rather represents the sound of speech. Likewise "cuppa," "gonna," "donno," & "shonuff!"

As I said, I'm just being awkward.
On the other hand, do you really object to 'shan't'? and I've never ever heard anyone say 'donno', or 'dunno' for that matter, sounds like a dunny. If we must concoct compound words, at least they should be spelt right. For that reason, 'wanna' is okay by me but 'wan'o' follows the norms of English perfectly.

[DavidRoss]

I've never ever heard anyone say 'donno'

Then you aren't a school teacher.

[Gurn Blanston]

Then you aren't a school teacher.

Really! I'm not even a teacher and I've heard it all my life. Usually strung out as one word like 'I'dunno'. If one is attempting to convey in writing what people are actually saying, then it is nearly impossible to overlook and/or ban that sort of word. They may not be actual words, but bits of onomatopoeia that convey the actual sounds that people make in place of actual words.

I realize that logic is tortuous, but if you get away from the public speaking venues and actually listen to people in a casual setting, you will hear plenty of it!

[mahler10th]

Really! I'm not even a teacher and I've heard it all my life. Usually strung out as one word like 'I'dunno'. If one is attempting to convey in writing what people are actually saying, then it is nearly impossible to overlook and/or ban that sort of word. They may not be actual words, but bits of onomatopoeia that convey the actual sounds that people make in place of actual words.
I realize that logic is tortuous, but if you get away from the public speaking venues and actually listen to people in a casual setting, you will hear plenty of it!

Oh God, I dunno...onomatopoeia...it is only a word I suppose.  But is it?   

[Gurn Blanston]

Oh God, I dunno...onomatopoeia...it is only a word I suppose.  But is it?   

Hell, lad, I don't know. I just like saying onomatopoeia. Or even writing it. It's sort of onomatopoetic, dont'cha know?   

[mahler10th]

Hell, lad, I don't know. I just like saying onomatopoeia. Or even writing it. It's sort of onomatopoetic, dont'cha know?   

I am not into onomatapoeia myself.  But I too like writing it. Onomatopoeia.  And cutting and pasting it, as I cannot spell it in one sitting.
'Groan'...

[Gurn Blanston]

I am not into onomatapoeia myself.  But I too like writing it. Onomatopoeia.  And cutting and pasting it, as I cannot spell it in one sitting.
'Groan'...

Aye, we're nuts, a pair of 'em...

[Karl Henning]

Of course, some say onomatopœia ....

[eyeresist]

Of course, some say onomatopœia ....

Other say Onan alopecia?


Plenty of people say "dunno" and "wanna" (though usually pronounced "wonna"). They're not exactly contractions; I'm not sure what the technical term would be.

[Wendell_E]

Other say Onan alopecia?


Plenty of people say "dunno" and "wanna" (though usually pronounced "wonna"). They're not exactly contractions; I'm not sure what the technical term would be.

Cato told us above:  word slurs.  The wikipedia article on the subject is titled "Relaxed pronunciation", but says "(also called condensed pronunciation or word slurs)".  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relaxed_pronunciation

[Gurn Blanston]

"Hurricane Isaac is now coming ashore as a Category 1 storm. Maximum sustained winds are 75mph, but gusts are up to 90 and are continuous..."

Really? If they are continuous, are they really gusts then? Aren't they actually sustained winds? I propose that people (especially in the broadcast business) learn the difference between "continuous" which means non-stop, and "continual" which means time after time (as best I can describe it). That is right up there with 'infer' and 'imply' on my list of things deserving of a headslap.