Should I argue with Oxford?

Question

I want to tell Oxford that I think the spelling of the word "won't" is terrible because if you look at the spellings of "don't" and "didn't" you realise that they are abbreviations of "do not" and "did not" but when you look at "won't" you would think (if you thought deeply about these things) that it would mean "wo not" but "wo" ISN'T A WORD!!! RARRRR!!! I know that there is already a word "wont" but why is "won't" not "wiln't"?? I think I have a valid point because it is just another complexity to our already dreadful language!

Do you agree or do you think I am an idiot!! Please tell what you think. Cheers :0)

Answer 1

Argue away! You are right - it should be wiln't or willn't. Not really sure how you go about arguing your point with them, though, but I'm sure they have a web site and a contact link. Good luck!

Answer 2

No, you're not an idiot, but I do think you're swimming upstream against a fairly swift current. I appreciate your discomfort (angst?) at the contractional inconsistency of "won't", but my guess is that when the term was being coined, it was felt that "wiln't" was too difficult to pronounce or, perhaps, "sounded too ugly" and so the "committee" came up with "won't". How or why they chose "o" rather than some other vowel (e.g. "win't" isn't too bad) I don't know. I might point out that in this same vein, there is the equally inconsistent, albeit rather archaic, "shan't" for "shall not". Your other option is to abbreviate or contract "I will not" as "I'll not" rather than "I won't".

Answer 3

It comes from a time when there was the word 'wolde', meaning would, which was reduced down to 'won't'
It actually is short for would not rather than will not
They will wipe the floor with you if you try to argue with them.
They are, after all, here to preserve language, as well as discover new trends.
Not to let any mis-use of language, or bastardisation of it become acceptable.
Will not, by your logic would have to be wil'n't, or willn't, not wiln't.
Innit

Answer 4

You are certainly not an idiot and you do have a point there,but in my opinion it is rather difficult to pronounce wiln't than won't.Moreover I think to change it now would be a big problem.The reason is because English is being used and spoken by billions of people worldwide.How are all to know of the changes if it should be change now.Everybody are used to use the word won't.So what do you think?

Answer 5

I think wiln't is rather hard to say. I'm glad we say won't instead. It is an exception to the rule. With out exceptions, how dull would life be?

Anyway, you can't argue it, because Oxford English Dictionary has to report language as it is spoken, not what should logically follow.

Answer 6

This is just one of many irregularities in the English Language. I expect it came about because "wiln't" is a little uncomfortable to say. If you start ironing our the creases in English you'll never stop, and you could end up like Germany where they have a department of the Government who do exactly that.

Answer 7

I think you are probably right but won't sounds better than willn't and there are other exceptions to the rule like "can't" "ca" is not a word so you think it would be "cann't" but what ever.. se la vie

Answer 8

They would probably sympathise with your view but point out that the contraction is from Old English wol not. So we have retained the contraction but lost the original form in this case.

Answer 9

You have a point, but even if you didn't I'd tell you to argue, it's good for the soul.

Answer 10

It's an excellent point but I doubt if you'll get much notice taken of it.