2006-12-06 01:41:00 · 7 answers · asked by nosnja 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It is a strange, non-translatable nuance of the English langauge. Its also short, which is the direction language favours in its development.
I believe the original for it is 'would' better, as in, 'you would do better in doing this' but since it is contracted into you'd, it became corrupted into had.
p.s. British people definitely do say 'had better', when saying things like 'I'd better start my work' or 'we'd better go'. Its just an expression that's evolved but has no grammatical logic.
Would be better implies that there is another option eg. We could eat cheese, but it would be better to eat beef.
So they don't really share the same meaning.
2006-12-06 01:45:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
"You had better get your chores done" has emphasis, a sense of having to get something done, whereas "it would be better for you to get your chores done" sounds rather wishy-washy. It sounds like a suggestion, and "had better" sounds more like a command. It is just the nuance of it, I guess. But "had better" definitely has a lot more emphasis and gets your attention more that "would be better for you to". That sounds like there is a second option coming - it would be better for you to do this as opposed to doing that. The other one makes it clear that there is no other option, just to do the one already given.
2006-12-06 11:02:39 · answer #2 · answered by Jeannie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's the American way of using that phrase. The British prefer to say It would be better.
2006-12-06 10:44:22 · answer #3 · answered by quilm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. That's too many words.
2. "had better" usually comes out when you are scolding someone Re: You had better get your homework done vs. It would be better for you to do you homework.
3.umm.. I can only think of 2 good reasons..LOL
2006-12-06 09:54:06 · answer #4 · answered by c_leoo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Had better is more of a slang phrase. The correct phrase is...It would be better
2006-12-06 10:40:03 · answer #5 · answered by SANDRA O 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont know, but as a foreigner, it was hard to learn and get used to it! it doesn't seem to make any sense!
2006-12-06 17:43:16 · answer #6 · answered by 13 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's shorter;)
2006-12-06 09:48:52 · answer #7 · answered by Love_my_Cornish_Knight❤️ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋