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Path: utzoo!dciem!mmt
From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: The word "won't".
Message-ID: <1654@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 21:57:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: dciem.1654
Posted: Tue Aug  6 21:57:42 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 7-Aug-85 00:26:15 EDT
References: <565@rtech.UUCP> <1216@sjuvax.UUCP> <spar.430>
Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Distribution: net
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 14
Summary: 


Another handwaving derivation of why we say "won't" rather than "willn't",
this time phonetic.  Just try saying "willn't" as you would in conversation,
and see if it is distinguishable from "won't" said in a somewhat strange
accent.  "L" is often readily confused with "O" in noisy surroundings,
and it is easy to imagine that the "i" in "will not" became elided just
as the "o" did, leaving something sounding very much like "won't".

(Maybe it's my English accent -- but that's where the word comes from.)
-- 

Martin Taylor
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