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Ivan
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:03 am
Post subject: Two questions |
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Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?
Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled differently in England
(nought, or nowt)?
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Molly Mockford
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:10 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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At 14:03:21 on Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Ivan <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote in
<1111010601.283827.230280@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>:
| Quote: | Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?
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"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably
common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his
revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."
| Quote: | Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled differently in England
(nought, or nowt)?
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No. "Naught" is an old word equivalent to "nothing". "Nought"
(pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is
equivalent to "zero". "Nowt" is a dialect word for "naught" /
"nothing".
--
Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) |
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Danny Collman
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 6:29 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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In message <HwWZQscQ7KOCFwBW@molly.mockford>, Molly Mockford
<nospamnobody@mollymockford.me.uk> writes
| Quote: | At 14:03:21 on Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Ivan <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote in
1111010601.283827.230280@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>:
Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?
"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably
common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his
revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."
Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled differently in England
(nought, or nowt)?
No. "Naught" is an old word equivalent to "nothing". "Nought"
(pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is
equivalent to "zero". "Nowt" is a dialect word for "naught" / "nothing".
|
I wonder whether the enquirer may also have had 'owt for nowt' in mind -
the idea that you don't get anything for nothing: direct equivalent of
TANSTAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
--
Danny Collman, Birmingham
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HB
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:54 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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Molly Mockford wrote:
| Quote: | At 14:03:21 on Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Ivan <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote
in <1111010601.283827.230280@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>:
Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?
"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably
common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his
revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."
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The literal equivalent is also frequently used in Flemish/Dutch: 'niet
voor niets'.
- Herman - |
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David
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:23 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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In article <jouj31lc4jc6nbjhm6idufgengcqvb839e@4ax.com>,
Peter Duncanson <mail@peterduncanson.net> wrote:
| Quote: | On 17 Mar 2005 12:06:37 -0800, "Ivan" <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote:
Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?
Yes.
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But not as "now" +"t", TV and radio notwithstanding.
--
http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/photo/0y08-0.htm
Devil's Arrow at Boroughbridge |
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Ivan
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:04 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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Danny Collman wrote:
| Quote: |
I wonder whether the enquirer may also have had 'owt for nowt' in
mind -
the idea that you don't get anything for nothing: direct equivalent
of
TANSTAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
--
Danny Collman, Birmingham
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No. It's from an Amercian TV show (The West Wing), and characters
frequently preface a statement of opinion with "Not for nothing
but...". Now it seems to me the "but" is unnecessary or even incorrect.
In any case I think it was the "but" that kept me from understanding
what was really meant. |
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Ivan
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:06 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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Molly Mockford wrote:> No. "Naught" is an old word equivalent to
"nothing". "Nought"
| Quote: | (pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is
equivalent to "zero". "Nowt" is a dialect word for "naught" /
"nothing".
--
Molly Mockford
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Thank you, Molly. Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"? |
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Peter Duncanson
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:48 am
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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On 17 Mar 2005 12:06:37 -0800, "Ivan" <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?
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Yes.
--
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e) |
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Paul Burke
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 3:56 pm
Post subject: Re: Two questions |
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Ivan wrote:
| Quote: |
Thank you, Molly. Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?
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That's a very good question. You can actually tell the area of origin of
people in some parts of northern England by their pronunciation of
'nowt'. To us Lankies, the Yorkshire pronunciation sounds more like
'note', and Oldham is fairly close to that. But over in Leigh, it's
halfway between 'now-t' and 'newt'. Of course, we in Salford adopted the
happy medium, the correct prounciation...
Paul Burke |
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