'Alot' should be considered a valid word

[Acitnoids]

Originally Posted by Fraggle Rocker
You probably want to eliminate the space to save one character in texpeak, right?

No, texpeak has and will evolve all on its own. Hell, I just found out what j/k stood for. I'm not arguing against the fact "a lot" is the correct spelling even if I think "alot" makes the sentence flow better.

Remember: "Nothing worth reading was ever written by a man who was typing with his thumbs." -- Boondocks

Way to cast the mold. And I thought satirical cartoons were lost on everyone.

 

[Giambattista]

Then there's "allot" - to give out in small portions.

Yes. Then there's that.

Small correction: It doesn't necessarily mean "small" portions. It all depends on the total amount and the number of recipients.

Ah. The voice of reason.

 

[Giambattista]

No really a fair comparison. You can have the determinate form of idiot: the idiot.

It didn't sound like such a great comparison, did it? I think the "idiot" part was being directed at me. It was at least a strange choice of words for the example.

Some of our single words came from two words. Why not another?

Good...

Some vaguely similar two words into one:

already, altogether

anything, something, nothing. (you can think of some similar examples with the same beginnings.

inside, outside

I think a good reason to merge it is the 'a' is hardly an article at this time. The phrase functions as one word.

Totally excellent! You obviously understand the spirit of what I'm trying to say!:bravo:

 

[Giambattista]

Remember: "Nothing worth reading was ever written by a man who was typing with his thumbs." -- Boondocks

Typing with thumbs sounds really clumsy and silly. I'm sure anyone who wrote a fair amount using that method is probably a really interesting person with really interesting things to say.

 

[Giambattista]

for every hand there is another who will most assuredly look to tie it. he...he...he

Did you make that up? I seriously like it. This may sound corny, but I would like to use the phrase in the future. I will just have to find the right circumstance.

Heh! The way words are spoken, many combinations SOUND like a single word - like "peoplesay." Do you also consider that and "burgersandfries" as single words?????

People say, I say, you say, they say, We say... say this, say that...

It seems that there are many forms of "say" whereas "a lot" is basically a single concept. Besides, it's a verb. In Italian, you can say simply diciamo for "we say", or dicono for "they say" without denoting the subject or person who is speaking. It's different conjugation for the same verb. With "a lot" or "alot" there is no tense or person and it basically means the same thing across the board. But if you want to join subject and verb then please do.
I just don't find that comparison truly applicable. It could be, though. On a complicated level. I think what I'm talking about here is much more simple.

Same with "burgers and fries". Two different things that don't necessarily go together and a concept that some might find absolutely foreign. You're just joining two nouns together. Any whimsical, conceivable noun combination could be created using that line of thinking. It is combining many differing concepts (subjects, articles, verbs, conjuctions, etc.) into one longer word. An entire sentence could be one entire word. There would be a literal infinity of words that could be made from that formula.
To the contrary "a lot" basically always means the same thing as "alot". It's only a difference of spelling. It is a very simple and concise construct.

well tbh, i thought it was one word up until about two years ago.

some other strange usage (useage) is:

i read books.
i read (red) a book.

i lead them.
i led them.
lead pencil

There are others but i cant think of them right now.

the spell checker says usage is correct but seems to me that it should be useage. i dont know what it is supposed to be though.

Your point is well made. We're talking about an article and noun combination that is always used in the same way to convey the same thing, basically being used as an adverb or noun to denote either frequency or quantity.

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

the spell checker says usage is correct but seems to me that it should be useage.

Trust your spell checker. Any errors were fixed long ago in Release 1.1 .

In English we generally do not retain a silent E when adding a suffix:
Like/likable Raze/razor Use/usage Dose/Dosage

The exception is when the silent E must be retained to soften a C or a G:
Service/serviceable Knowledge/knowledgeable

All rules in English have exceptions. Judgment is an accepted spelling of judgement, probably because there wouldn't be any way to pronounce that G except soft. But then why not also remove the E from judg?

In Italian, you can say simply diciamo for "we say", or dicono for "they say" without denoting the subject or person who is speaking.

Same in Spanish (decimos, dicen) and Portuguese (dizemos, dizem). But in Spanish you only eliminate the subject in vernacular speech and newspaper headlines; it would be considered uncultured to leave it out in polite speech or writing. I'm not sure about Portuguese.

Same with "burgers and fries". Two different things that don't necessarily go together and a concept that some might find absolutely foreign.

You must not be an American.

But we often take cliches like that and use them as adjectives by hyphenating them: Pete is a burgers-and-fries kind of guy and Mona is a quiche-and-champagne kind of girl; how did they end up together?

 

[John99]

Did you make that up? I seriously like it. This may sound corny, but I would like to use the phrase in the future. I will just have to find the right circumstance.

just made it up on the spot, very spontaneous and untrue. the basic premise comes from a song i heard though.