I must be an idiot. Spare me the ridicule. Is won't will not? If so, shouldn't it be willn't? Is won't the past tense? Isn't it a contraction? WTH! And what's up with contractions. Come on..have not =haven't. All you are doing is replacing a space and the letter O. Who made up that lazy rule in English anyways?
2006-12-09 12:24:48 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
good questions!! I have no idea but now you have me thinking!!
2006-12-09 12:29:43 · answer #1 · answered by hunny_oh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you are not an idiot! Yes, won't is will not. Who came up with the brilliant idea of contractions...NO CLUE! Yes, it is a lazy method of writing and even speaking! It is also not "formal language" which means that when writing a paper, one should not use contractions.
Always remember, no one can force you to say won't instead of will not or haven't instead of have not....Only YOU can determine how you wish to speak!
2006-12-09 20:31:21 · answer #2 · answered by AllieAR81 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a contraction for will not.
I absolutely agree with you on the whole issue of shortening words out. We have become so lazy, and in this case we don't (there I even go with another contraction) even shorten the word because it is still the same number of characters that have to be written. Sooner or later someone will say, "Hi, my name is Jack, but you can call me Henry." This doesn't make sense and neither does shortening unnecessary words.
2006-12-09 20:30:13 · answer #3 · answered by izzyhearts 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Contractions are the "Rodney Dangerfields" of English grammar. It is time we show them some respect. They have been around for centuries (shan't, 'tis, 'twas, 'twill ) and are terse, handy and useful words which we all use and understand. Some contractions, most of them in fact, are widely accepted in more formal writing and some are not.
For a good list of guidlines, look in :
"Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English In Plain English" by Patricia T. O'Conner ( pp 72-75)
2006-12-09 21:04:03 · answer #4 · answered by True Blue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a contraction for will not. Yes, it's lazy, but we're all lazy to an extent, aren't we?
2006-12-09 20:34:33 · answer #5 · answered by Gee Wye 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think wont should be its own word, without an apostraphe, so people dont get confused.
2006-12-09 20:32:16 · answer #6 · answered by idbangrobertplant 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, won't is will not.
2006-12-09 20:32:30 · answer #7 · answered by Mariposa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋