The concurrent
sanction of all classes in all parts of the English-speaking world
establishes it as law.
Observe that the a in the verb can't is broader in sound than the
short a in the noun cant.
Don't and Didn't
Don't is a contraction of do not. It is in very general use and in
good repute. It may be employed
_________________________________________________________________
121
wherever the expanded expression do not could be applied, and only
there.
"One swallow don't make a spring" is equivalent to saying, "One
swallow do not make a spring." We may say "I don't," "You don't," "We
don't," "They don't," "The men (or birds, or trees) don't," but we
must use doesn't with he, or she, or it, or the man, the grove, the
cloud, etc.
Unlike the verb do, its past tense form did undergoes no change in
conjugation, hence the contraction didn't is also uniform.
Haven't, Hasn't, and Hadn't
The verb have, like the verb do, has a distinct form for the third
person singular. The same change affects the contraction. I haven't,
you haven't, he hasn't. The construction hadn't undergoes no change.
Haint, Taint
Haint is used indiscriminately for haven't and hasn't.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128