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 Languages

Ask questions or just talk about different languages. Since BrainKing is an international game site supporting many languages, this board can be kind of useful.

Since we will be dealing with pronunciation of words rather than their spelling, I think it's useful to have a link to The sounds of English and the International Phonetic Alphabet.


To see translations of some frequently used phrases and sentences in other languages see Languages


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5. December 2006, 04:46:08
gogul 
An other question (yes, kind people is what you are):

What if you wouldn't know.

Is there a short form of the negation wouldn't. I'm not sure as it is already a shortform of would not. What if I'd write for example: What if you'dn't know.

LOL

5. December 2006, 04:53:27
Peón Libre 
Subject: Re:
gogul: Well, I for one am fond of coining such multiple contractions (we'll've, it'sn't, they'ven't, etc.) in casual writing, but I think you'lln't've much chance of finding them in a dictionary.

5. December 2006, 05:11:51
gogul 
Subject: Re:
KotDB: I see. I'm just'bt to recover'n start again'o'se the ' in my writing and wondered where the limits are of the correct forms. Thanks.

8. December 2006, 21:41:00
King Reza 
Subject: Re:
KotDB:According to what I have learnt here in university, 'have' when used as a verb meaning to possess, cannot be contracted.  So basically the sentence "I've two cats at home." is wrong.  It is to be written in its full form when used as the main verb, but can be contracted when used as part of a verb like " I would've had to swim if I hadn't found my canoe."

10. December 2006, 01:20:26
Peón Libre 
Subject: Re: Contractions
King Reza: "Have" can be contracted even when used as the main verb; I think this is more common in the UK than in the USA. Here on the Web, Google finds no small number of instances of "I've a", "I've the", and "I've two cats".

Now the propriety of such usage is a separate question. Arguments over grammar often boil down to a question of "Says who?", and contractions are one of the murkier areas if you're looking for absolutely binding rules. It's true that they're best avoided in formal speech and writing, but otherwise if you want to contract, contract. I don't know of anyone with the authority to tell you you mayn't.

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