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#2 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:57 am lets vs let's |
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. I don't know which of the 'quite a few native speakers' you're referring to, Tortsten, but the difference is clear to me.  . |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#3 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:11 pm lets vs let's |
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Though not the same, maybe the use of apostrophe is declining over all:
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The Possessive Apostrophe: The Development and Decline of a Crooked Mark
Sklar, Elizabeth S.
Abstract: Contends that the genitive apostrophe is losing its grammatical significance and its utility and will eventually be dropped. (DD) |
Interesting to note also, from the same book, that in 1835, William Cobbet (A Grammar of the English Language.) said that the apostrophe of contraction was not "a mark of ellison but of laziness and vulgarity".
http://www.jstor.org/pss/376342
Times and language preferences, change. |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#4 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:36 pm lets vs let's |
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All languages are bound to change. We just have to accept the fact and come to terms with it. There's no use being captious and denying the change outright.
This is probably the same feeling that some people might have had in the past when they realized that 'Did you eat yet?' started becoming popular. Some of them might have denounced it, but couldn't probably post it to a forum like this, and disdained people who used it. But now, such a usage is as natural as it gets (in the US, at least).
This might also be the same kind of feeling that some Latin scholars had when Bible was translated into English.
The SMS lingo would probably become the standard language in the future, not far from now. Dictionaries would probably call 'you' an archaic term for 'u'. _________________ Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good. |
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Daemon99 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 684
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#5 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 19:48 pm lets vs let's |
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Hi Daemon,
Writing "lets" instead of "let's" or "wont" instead of "won't, "u" instead of "you" aren't examples of innovation but of sloppiness or laziness. None of these chatroom language errors will enter the dictionaries or become standard forms. _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10051 Location: EU
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#6 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 19:56 pm lets vs let's |
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Hello,
Let's not forget this is a forum that lets non-native speakers' mistakes be eliminated.
Regards |
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SkiIucK I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 744
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#7 (permalink) Fri Apr 11, 2008 23:55 pm lets vs let's |
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| Torsten wrote: |
Hi Daemon,
Writing "lets" instead of "let's" or "wont" instead of "won't, "u" instead of "you" aren't examples of innovation but of sloppiness or laziness. None of these chatroom language errors will enter the dictionaries or become standard forms. |
I can't understand why you rant on so much about other people's mistakes, laziness, etc., Torsten. I've noticed, and pointed out, quite a few errors in your posts, but never seem you go back and edit them? |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#8 (permalink) Sun Apr 13, 2008 16:50 pm lets vs let's |
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Hi Torsten,
| Quote: |
Hi Daemon,
Writing "lets" instead of "let's" or "wont" instead of "won't, "u" instead of "you" aren't examples of innovation but of sloppiness or laziness. None of these chatroom language errors will enter the dictionaries or become standard forms. |
And what exactly would you call using 'color' instead of 'colour'? Why did it find its way into almost all the standard dictionaries?
What you call sloppiness or laziness might be convenience and ease of use for others. I know it's hard to accept, but lets see if these words will become standard forms or not. _________________ Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good. |
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Daemon99 I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 684
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#9 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:12 pm lets vs let's |
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I've seen Torsten-type people say that the English dialect forms below "aren't examples of innovation but of sloppiness or laziness":
He teached history at university. He seed him in the market yesterday. We buyed a new car last week.
But... the regularising of irregular verbs is common, and somewhat logical, for many dialect speakers. |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#12 (permalink) Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:54 am lets vs let's |
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| Molly wrote: |
| So, I guess you think we should all still be using "holp" and "holpen", right? |
Well, I wouldn't be against the idea. I hate it when things are too simple. Where's the challenge ?  |
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Lost_Soul I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Posts: 1861 Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
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#13 (permalink) Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:07 am lets vs let's |
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| Quote: |
| Where's the challenge? |
In learning phrasal verbs, modal auxiliary use, etc.  |
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Molly I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 4017
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#14 (permalink) Tue Jun 10, 2008 17:32 pm lets vs let's |
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| Actually, we aren't angels;evrybody makes mistakes ,but to insist on doing that is sloppiness or laziness. I agree with Torsten.If such sloppiness come from native speakers, who is the genuine reference to back to? |
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Sultano I'm here quite often ;-)
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#15 (permalink) Tue Jun 10, 2008 20:46 pm lets vs let's |
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let's = let us lets = third-person singular form of "to let"
apostrophes are used for good reason -- they're used so that readers know the difference between a possessive and a non-possessive, a simple plural word and a possessive, etc.
I dare us to drop the apostrophe -- then try understanding your students' term papers.
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of course, there are times when it's employed improperly:
"The Henderson's are coming home."
--> Since "Henderson" is the name of one person in this clan, logically we would refer to more than one of that clan as "Herdersons".
"If you watch the video closely, you see how the dog let's the possum go."
-->Let's = let us
"Your going to give me herpes, you slob!"
--> Your = possessive pronoun ; You're = you are
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I say we revere the rules of the apostrophe and keep them holy... lest we make it more difficult to understand the written word. Let's respect the ap'st'phe! _________________ Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee. |
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Prezbucky I'm a Communicator ;-)

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