Is 'alot" a word?
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Topic: Is 'alot" a word?
Posted By: Peter
Subject: Is 'alot" a word?
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 11:53
This troublesome issue is rocking the hallowed halls of academia! Is "alot" one word, or two, and why don't people just use spell check?  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Replies:
Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 11:59
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Alot saves me to type the space bar (spacebar?)... ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:01
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Of course it's a word, it's not the dictionary that determines which letter combination is a word, but the general use determines what should be included in the dictionary. so if alot isn't part of the dictionary it only proofs that dictionary's are out-dated very rapidly. ------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:05
Space bar:  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:10
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Posted By: mystic fred
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:14
HI PETER!! 
.....alotoffishliveintrees..
-------------  Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:15
------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: Trickster F.
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:15
Who gives a tinker's cuss?  ------------- sig |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:18
(Kind of like wishing people a "merry Christmas" all year long: if you do it long enough, it WILL be appropriate.....)
Hmmmm.... so as a teacher, I should not deduct marks for spelling "errors" that occur frequently?
Wow -- myjob just got alot easier! Thanx!
Gee, this spell check program is out of date too, it seems. (It thinks I meant to type "aloft" or "allot" -- or even "a lot.")You'd think the computer industry could keep up with the forces of progress!  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
tuxon wrote:Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:22
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How about adroit? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:24
Knot yew! (Or is that "ewe?")
 This, or: The perfect ewe! ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:27
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It must be the spring thats doing it. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:28
Eh? Is that a brand of mellotron?
abash:
 astute:
------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:30
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Valanche! Valanche! Run its a valanche!  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:31
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Drive thru
sox
nite
ho
boyz
gurlz
fo shizzle
prog ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:31
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deducting marks on spelling should only occur when the test is about spelling. So if you teach English grammar deducting marks is good, but when you teach english literature one must realise that many writers use non-excisting words and create new language with their writing. Spelling rules are not absolute. ------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:33
I disagree.Keeping standards of good spelling is very important.
You anarchist! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:38
Who decides what is good spelling, language changes over time, and it should, if alanguage doesn't change any more, it only means that it's a dead language. ------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:40
Come on, we all no good spelling from bad. And a language can change anyway, without changing the spelling. Things are different now Tux. We got books. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:41
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that's the sort of approach that leads to us having words that insult the intelligence in official dictionaries. When we are judged by literary space aliens I don't want to be part of the culture that embraced the word babydaddy ------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 12:45
What the hell is a "babydaddy"? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 13:10
I know about the authors (Shakespeare gave us many words -- he was a master of written language), but a person in high school or college is not Shakespeare. There are standards, and they exist for a reason: to facilitate communication and understanding.
Like it or not, for many, if not most people, poor spelling, etc, creates a negative impression of the writer and the ideas. Imagine two competing advertisements: one correct, the other full of errors. Which company's product would you be most likely to buy? Why?
When I start to read a review here that's full of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, I quickly stop reading, as the very poor writing and lack of attention to detail makes me doubt the amount of thought that went into the opinions expressed. If a reviewer can't even be bothered to use a spell checker, why should I bother to read his incoherent rambling, and try to guess what his non words mean? )
An analogy: Picasso knew the "rules" of perspective and realistic painting, and mastered them before he broke them. When he puts two eyes on the same side of the face it's art, and goes in a gallery. When a three year old does it, it's just cute, and goes on the refrigerator.
(Imagine covering a song, but inserting wrong notes and lyrics here and there.)
It is common, accepted practice in education to expect standard spelling in all submitted writing -- not just in spelling tests. If I let the error go uncorrected 95% of the time, how would students ever be expected to learn the correct spelling?
Other academic subjects have standards, too -- you cannot substitute one number for another in math, or make up your own numerical symbols, or, in chemistry, change atomic numbers, call a neutron a proton, or a newton. Imagine medical school: "Intern, remove the patient's left whatsit. Oh, you know what I mean!"
 Anyway, it's just a silly joking POLE -- no offense ment!
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.  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 13:23
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In any case, it is not those who are learning the subject (the students) that decide what the "rulz" of that subject will be.
"No, prof, I'm gonna call the tibia the fibula. Yew gotta problem wit dat?"
Loose spelling sinx ships!
When I said "torpedo the Hood," I meant the Bismarck, you idiot! Now look what you've done!  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 13:27
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Peter the third definition of gay is in some dictionaries. Some of my spelling errors are because I have dyslexic typing at times. But "alot" isn't a word! I've telling that to people since I was 9! And telling them they "beat me" not "won me" when playing a game during recess. I'm not a slave!  And yes I am an adolescent who gets ticked off at misspellings! Especially my own!  |
Posted By: Philéas
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 14:09
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"It bloody well is when I use it!" It has happened. Sometimes you miss the spacebar, you know. |
Posted By: progadicto
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 14:09
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This poll remebers me a character of one of the Austin Powers movies...
ALOTTA VAGINA
Do you remember she?? ------------- ... E N E L B U N K E R... |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 14:10
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According to Strunk and White, they should be separate.
------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 14:36
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I see Mr. Rideout is deafinitely back to posting alot.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 15:01
Yes -- deafeningly!   I have to see that the forum doesn't again start to consume my life, though, at the expense of sleep, family, work, food and dirty dishes!Once more, for the record, my latest break was mainly to assert control over myself, and how I choose to spend my time (I understand that our time on earth is finite). I was too wrapped up in this forum, and strangers' opinions of me (often not good, and often due to misunderstandings), before. (I will therefore try to be lighter in tone, overall, and post less.)  And I WON'T make fun of metal and its fans -- promise! Life is too short and often rife with pain, anyway -- who needs enemies? It's all just music!So I'm here for friendship, laughs, good music and good times!  On that note -- gotta go!  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: darkmatter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 15:18
Haha, I've never heard anyone ever say "won me" or "won you"!  |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 19:08
I have had this problem in the past so I know what you are talking about. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 22:28
Yes, it can be VERY addictive for some of us -- it is an outlet to a wider (but nonetheless limited) world that should not be mistaken for the entire world.It's pretty cool that one can make the acquaintance of (even befriend) so many diverse people from so many far-flung places here, though! But still, a full life has more immediate/proximate concerns, obligations and pleasures. A little self-control is a good thing.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 23:37
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What gets me is "where you at?"
Why do we say the "at". Dosn't the "where you" imply that?
But going around saying "where you?" would sound pretty weird.
What is the point of all this? I have no clue, kind of like this poll.
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Posted By: darkmatter
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 23:42
I totally agree, I HATE when people say that! It sounds so uneducated and unintelligent. It's just as easy to say "Where are you?". And yet people say "Where you at?" anyway! It doesn't even sound like a sentence. It's on that damn Amp'd Mobile commercial too, which makes it worse. |
Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: March 18 2007 at 23:48
YES! Because where you at....is a corruption of where ARE you at. So, just like you said, just say where are you.
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Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 16:38
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Good thing I don't have a family depending on me, or they would be starving thanks to the Archives
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Unix
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 21:37
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I chose "will this be on the test?" because, well... I'm stupid.
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Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 22:03
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I also do not use "alright", I always use "all right" instead. Infact (In fact?) I try not to use most Americanised or American words, especially O.K. and its derivatives. O.K. is not a word, all right? -------------   
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Posted By: Chus
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 22:11
Awight ------------- Jesus Gabriel |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 00:07
Okay, if you encyst.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 00:14
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I do insist.
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Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 07:06
John Renbourn - Sir John Alot of : Noun  ------------- 
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 07:20
Okay. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 07:26
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'A Narchy in the United Kingdom' - Sex Pistols -------------
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 08:03
We used the word gay as lame back in the early 80's.
But as macho kids, being gay/homo meant lame
 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 ------------- 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 |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 08:43
Have you ever seen Dream Theater do a cover version? They even got Iron Maiden's "number of the beast" wrong...
"6... 6... 7 - the neighbour of the beast" ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 08:52
No no no no no no NO! Far too many people are leaving school (and even graduating from universities) without the ability to string together a legible sentence, which is correctly punctuated or spelled (spelt? - I am in danger of being hoisted by my own petard, here...). It is essential that the very building blocks of correct spelling and grammar are firmly entrenched in every young person's mind to prevent the following from becoming the norm:
 -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 13:03
Both spellings are correct, Jimber. ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 13:29
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.
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."
Every waiter/waitress around here seems to think that the plural of "you" is "yous." (As in "Do yous want smoking or non-smoking?"
 I seem to see poor spelling and grammar more and more often these days, and ever more in places where one would expect more care to be taken (expensive advertising, newspapers, etc.) It certainly creates a negative impression of the source. 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? Ever hear of spell check, folks? "Strickers" (strikers) is not even a word!
Needless to say, I don't have a very high opinion of the local paper.
 I think it sux!  ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 13:33
That's ridiculous - they even underlined the error! -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 14:34
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Ow boj, Peter'is back in the forems, that meens I will have to wotch my speling alot aggain. Welcome back Peter ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 14:54
^ Thanks, Angelo -- it's nice to be back among friends!
Now, about your spelling.... ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 14:58
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.) ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 15:56
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^ Thatz dizgusting!
------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:16
That should be "universally-accessible". I always capitalise "Internet" also, but apparently this is incorrect now.  -------------
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Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:35
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does alot have the same meaning as a lot? ------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:44
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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". -------------
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Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:52
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 |
Posted By: Unix
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 19:55
It shouldn't be confusing if you've taken more than 1 year of basic english ------------- |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 20:07
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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. -------------
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Posted By: Chus
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:42
yer, Peta 4eva!!  that's lyk sooo gud cuz I reely misd 'im alot------------- Jesus Gabriel |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:48
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. -------------   |
Posted By: Chus
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:54
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YER.. PETA PWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ------------- Jesus Gabriel |
Posted By: Unix
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 21:57
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wewt peter is so kewl he maks the best jockes and alaways makes me laff
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 04:54
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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 -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 05:16
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?
)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 cause ).------------- 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 |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 08:55
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^ Piece bee with yew, comrade Hugues!
------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 09:00
Thanx to olive my knew frendz, above, for the kind words and "welcome backs." It is ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 13:32
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Jai belt of creisis |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 20:57
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Jim, that should have been Pedant, surely? Simple Schoolboy error! -------------
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: March 22 2007 at 04:31
Really?!?
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Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |