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Topic ClosedIs 'alot" a word?
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Poll Question: Well, I see it alot, at work and on the forum, but is it a word?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
1 [3.13%]
19 [59.38%]
1 [3.13%]
1 [3.13%]
1 [3.13%]
2 [6.25%]
1 [3.13%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [3.13%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [3.13%]
0 [0.00%]
3 [9.38%]
1 [3.13%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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Jim Garten View Drop Down
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    Posted: March 22 2007 at 04:31
Originally posted by Geck0 Geck0 wrote:

Jim, that should have been Pedant, surely? 


Really?!?


Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 20:57
Jim, that should have been Pedant, surely? Wink

Simple Schoolboy error!
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Points: 3252 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 13:32

Jai belt of creisis
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 09:00
Thanx to olive my knew frendz, above, for the kind words and "welcome backs."Embarrassed

It is sinceerli sinsearly sinseerly genuinely appreciated!

Hug


Edited by Peter Rideout - March 21 2007 at 12:07
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 08:55
^ Piece bee with yew, comrade Hugues!Hug
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Points: 20239 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 05:16
Originally posted by Peter Rideout Peter Rideout wrote:

Originally posted by Sean Trane Sean Trane wrote:

Originally posted by Peter Rideout Peter Rideout wrote:

 
BTW, Tux, I meant to include the option "No, but it will be a word in 20 - 30 years" to acknowledge that I am aware that language changes over time. See "gay":
 
1950s: 'gay' = "happy, merry"
 
1970s: "gay" = 'homosexual"
 
Today: "gay" = "stupid, lame"
 
The second meaning is now in the dictionary. the third, regrettably, one day will likely  be as well.Ermm
 
We used the word gay as lame back in the early 80's.
But as macho kids, being gay/homo meant lameEmbarrassedWink
 
Alot reminds of some words like "beit" or "albeit" which are really be it or all be it, and I've never seen anyone condemn this
Those are long-established compound words, Hugues.
"A" and "lot" have long been established to be separate words.
 
"Alot" may well be an official word one day (thanks to someone's original mistake, or laziness, and others following suit like so many lemmings), butit'snotyet. Wink
 
 
 
Well I checked in the Webster (this was a long time ago) and didn't find those. And the Robert-Collins translation dictionary I bought two years ago does not mention them words eater (either?Wink)
 
 
 
I see no problem with "a lot" getting the same treatment as "nevertheless". Language evolves and it is pointless to fight it.
 
But on the whole issue, I agree that fighting to keep a correct level of written language is vital for humanity (and the prog causeWink).


Edited by Sean Trane - March 21 2007 at 05:16
let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 21 2007 at 04:54
In short - Peter appears to have gained the respect, kinship and affection of a number of this illustrious forum's membership.

Personally, now he's back, I resent the fact each one of my posts takes 4 times longer to type due to my having to refer constantly to dictionaries, on-line grammar checks and double entendre avoidance strategies.

He's a bit of a pedent, you see

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Points: 253 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:57
wewt peter is so kewl  he maks the best jockes and alaways makes me laff

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Points: 1991 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:54
YER.. PETA PWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesus Gabriel
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Points: 8844 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:48
Originally posted by Chus Chus wrote:

Originally posted by Angelo Angelo wrote:

Ow boj, Peter'is back in the forems, that meens I will have to wotch my speling alot aggain. Wink

Welcome back Peter Smile
 
 yer, Peta 4eva!!Thumbs%20Up that's lyk sooo gud cuz I reely misd 'im alot


Eye no!  Aye wuz s0 sik of ppl mssplling thnigs and makking typos left n rihgt.  Butt now ol' Petey's bakk, s0 Wii dont hav too worrry bout taht. 

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Points: 1991 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:42
Originally posted by Angelo Angelo wrote:

Ow boj, Peter'is back in the forems, that meens I will have to wotch my speling alot aggain. Wink

Welcome back Peter Smile
 
 yer, Peta 4eva!!Thumbs%20Up that's lyk sooo gud cuz I reely misd 'im alot
Jesus Gabriel
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 20:07
No, I wouldn't say so.  It's a lazy way of saying "a lot" and before long, the "parcel of land with fixed boundaries" meaning, will also get shortened, thus confusing things even more.  There is nothing wrong with "a lot" as it is.

However, an argument for its use can be made, because there have been previous multiple words that have been fused together and which are now common in dictionary, viz. already, altogether, awhile, hithertofor, whatever, although, nonetheless and nevertheless.

Some of the above are transitional words (conjunctions), however and are thus rather important in the English language.


Edited by Geck0 - March 20 2007 at 20:34
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Points: 253 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:55
Originally posted by tuxon tuxon wrote:

Originally posted by Geck0 Geck0 wrote:


However, "A lot was destroyed today by a group of thugs" is not the same as "Alot was destroyed today by a group of thugs", because in this instance, "lot" is referring to "a parcel of land with fixed boundaries", rather than a "large amount of".
 
so basically using the space inbetween a and lot works confusing, while alot has a more clearer meaning


It shouldn't be confusing if you've taken more than 1 year of basic english Shocked

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Points: 5502 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:52
Originally posted by Geck0 Geck0 wrote:


However, "A lot was destroyed today by a group of thugs" is not the same as "Alot was destroyed today by a group of thugs", because in this instance, "lot" is referring to "a parcel of land with fixed boundaries", rather than a "large amount of".
 
so basically using the space inbetween a and lot works confusing, while alot has a more clearer meaning
I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:44
Indeed, "alot" is supposed to have the same meaning as "a lot".

i.e. "this album has alot of synclavier on it" would read the same as "this album has a lot of synclavier on it".

However, "A lot was destroyed today by a group of thugs" is not the same as "Alot was destroyed today by a group of thugs", because in this instance, "lot" is referring to "a parcel of land with fixed boundaries", rather than a "large amount of".


Edited by Geck0 - March 20 2007 at 19:48
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Points: 5502 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:35
does alot have the same meaning as a lot?
I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:16
Originally posted by Peter Rideout Peter Rideout wrote:

Mass media and the universally-acessible internet really affect how people speak and write (I often see "u" written for "you" in student writing, for example). We are all, like, starting to , like, speak like California surfers, Shaggy from Scooby Doo, or "valley girls."Ermm


That should be "universally-accessible". Wink

I always capitalise "Internet" also, but apparently this is incorrect now. Confused


Edited by Geck0 - March 20 2007 at 19:17
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Points: 28057 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 15:56
^ Thatz dizgusting! Shocked
My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want!
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 14:58
Originally posted by Jim Garten Jim Garten wrote:

Originally posted by Peter Rideout Peter Rideout wrote:

Here's a recent front-page headline from my local paper: "Strickers still on picket line"  Now how many clueless, inattentive hands did that headline go through, I wonder, before 50,000 copies of it were printed?


That's ridiculous - they even underlined the error!
Smile You will pay dearly for that one, my friend....
 
 
face down, in the harbour!
 
(You know the drill -- might as well just show up in a swimsuit and jump right in and get it over with.)LOL
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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Peter View Drop Down
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 20 2007 at 14:54
^ Thanks, Angelo -- it's nice to be back among friends!Smile
 
 
Now, about your spelling....Wink
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
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