Contracted vs. uncontracted questions

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I do not wish to embarrass anyone, so I shan't mention the book (It is a very popular book, and the two authors obviously know their grammar.)

In any case, they claim the following:

1. Why didn't you do your homework? = expresses a negative evaluation, i.e., You should have!

2. Why did you not do your homework? = It's both more formal and more neutral.

I agree that it is more formal, but I do not agree that it is more neutral. In fact, another book says that the uncontracted question often shows anger, surprise, etc. And I also believe that.

I have the 1983 edition of the first book that I mentioned. Who knows? Maybe the two authors have changed their minds in later editions.

I would appreciate your views.

Thank you,

James

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@TheParser,

Why do you even care?

In any case, the question might have been asked for interest's sake - it's all about the tone. It's not what you say as much as it is how you say it.

1 Reply

@Mame,

I find your question rather curt and rude, but -- being a gentleman -- I wish to acknowledge your reply.

1 Reply

@TheParser,

Mame's curt! She sharp, though.

I find the contracted question friendlier by a hair, by it's informality leaving the possibility of a dog in the house who was hungry.

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@TheParser,

Maybe the second construction is used elsewhere, but I've never heard it. To my ear it is stilted, not formal.

1 Reply

He asked this question once already, and evidently didn't like the answers he got.

1 Reply

@TheParser,

TheParser wrote:

I do not wish to embarrass anyone, so I shan't mention the book (It is a very popular book, and the two authors obviously know their grammar.)

In any case, they claim the following:

1. Why didn't you do your homework? = expresses a negative evaluation, i.e., You should have!

NOT IF IT WAS A FRIEND ASKING... depends, doesn't it?

2. Why did you not do your homework? = It's both more formal and more neutral.

COULD BE AN AUNTIE ASKING THIS out of interest. Depends, doesn't it?

I agree that it is more formal, but I do not agree that it is more neutral. In fact, another book says that the uncontracted question often shows anger, surprise, etc. And I also believe that.

I have the 1983 edition of the first book that I mentioned. Who knows? Maybe the two authors have changed their minds in later editions.

I would appreciate your views.

Thank you,

James

Anyway, who cares? Why do YOU care? Just speak the way you normally do!

And by the way, you are NOT a gentleman. Gentlemen do NOT tell others their questions are curt and rude - not that I care. So there.

1 Reply

Un contracted words seem a trifle more emphatic. Bull **** is obviously more forceful than bullshit.

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@Mame,

Quote:

Anyway, who cares? Why do YOU care? Just speak the way you normally do!

People with inquiring minds care, Mame.

James has expressed a great interest in the English language and in particular grammar.

Is it really that surprising to you that one with an interest in something would care?

You were snotty, both times.

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@JTT,

And you're a dickwad all the time. Wasn't talking to you, so butt out and mind your own business.

1 Reply

@Mame,

Quote:

Wasn't talking to you, so butt out and mind your own business.

Aren't we the sweet little hypocrite, Mamie?

You were snotty both times and James did nothing to deserve it. He asked a good question and surprisingly, you gave a pretty fair answer, minus the snottiness of course.

1 Reply

@JTT,

Oh, a judgement from Dick Wad - what a surprise!

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@Mame,

I can accept that this is as honest as you can bring yourself to be, Mamie.

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@contrex,

Since I take your statement to be sincere, I am delighted to explain.

I am an old man (75) and computer illiterate.

I posted my long post, but it did not appear in the "English" forum. It did appear somewhere else in the system. I tried to delete it, but I was unable to.

So I posted a much shorter version (the one you responded to) and it went directly to the "English form."

Please be assured that I appreciated your courteous answer -- as I appreciated all the courteous and sincere answers that I received.

James

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@Mame,

My secret of a calm life is that I ignore JTT (Among smll select batch of other trolls). The only way I see that hes been turd stirring is when someone "Quotes" him. SO CUT IT OUT and lets make believe he doesnt even exist.

1 Reply

@TheParser,

when someone posts a question, we get all kinds of responses nd I often have learned some neat rules of grammr that Ive been ignorant of all my life, so you will see that youve lit fuses of all kinds of reponses. Dont worry, these kinds of disagreements re usual AS IS the unwelcomed responses of few of our trolls.

When you hang around longer youls see that e arent any more dysfunctional than your average family.

1 Reply

@JTT,

Thanks, JTT, for your kind and reasoned comments.

Although I am a new member, I have already learned two things:

1. This forum allows a great deal of freedom of speech. I am a member of several other forums, and they would delete or ban some of the invective that I have read here. Personally, I am delighted at the freedom given to the members to express their views.*** I have learned (the hard way) to just skip over the posts of certain people.

2. I have discovered that you and a few other posters are actually interested in seriously using this forum for its stated purpose: to discuss all aspects of English grammar.

Thanks again.

James

*** I closed my account at another forum because one of the moderators ordered me (on pain of being banned) never to praise the grammarian George Oliver Curme! For some reason, that moderator did not like Professor Curme and took out his dislike on us helpless members!

1 Reply

@farmerman,

Farmerman would have us believe that he's an academic.

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@farmerman,

Quote:

I often have learned some neat rules of grammr that Ive been ignorant of all my life,

Not 'some', Farmer, 'many'.

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@TheParser,

Quote:

2. I have discovered that you and a few other posters are actually interested in seriously using this forum for its stated purpose: to discuss all aspects of English grammar.

There are a few to be sure, James. Please feel free to post away.

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Contracted vs. uncontracted questions

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