| Author |
Message |
Cool Guy
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:09 am
Post subject: awhile/a while |
|
|
Which is correct?
- I did that awhile ago.
- I did that a while ago. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Mike Lyle
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:01 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Cool Guy wrote:
| Quote: | Which is correct?
- I did that awhile ago.
- I did that a while ago.
|
The second. "Awhile" is used only in things like "Stop and reast
awhile". Strange, I agree; and I don't think I use it at all.
--
Mike. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:08 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Cool Guy wrote:
| Quote: | Which is correct?
- I did that awhile ago.
- I did that a while ago.
|
I think the first is incorrect and the second is correct. "Awhile" is
an adverb, so you could say "wait awhile", or "rest awhile", but not
"awhile ago". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bob Cunningham
Guest
|
| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:47 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
On Tue, 17 May 2005 00:09:52 +0100, Cool Guy
<coolguy@abc.xyz> said:
| Quote: | Which is correct?
- I did that awhile ago.
- I did that a while ago.
|
The second.
Some -- maybe all -- English-usage gurus say to not use
"awhile" unless it would be possible to replace it with "for
a while" with no change in meaning.
You wouldn't say "I did that for a while ago", so "awhile"
isn't right in that case.
But "I did that awhile" is okay, because "I did that for a
while" says the same thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 3:52 pm
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
The word "awhile" is valid anywhere that it can be replaced by "along
time", and still make sense.
--
Harold |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Robert Lieblich
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 5:59 pm
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
pekteno@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | The word "awhile" is valid anywhere that it can be replaced by "along
time", and still make sense.
|
If that's intended to be a question, the answer is "No." In particular,
the word "along" is a preposition and has nothing to do with the phrase
"a long," in which "long" is an adjective.
In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time." Consider
the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits on Google.
What do you really want to know?
--
Bob Lieblich
A brief answer |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Areff
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 8:47 pm
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Robert Lieblich wrote:
| Quote: | In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time." Consider
the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits on Google.
|
There's also Kurt Weill ("Oh it's a long, long while from May to
December"). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Areff
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 10:59 pm
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Robert Lieblich wrote:
| Quote: | Areff wrote:
Robert Lieblich wrote:
In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time." Consider
the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits on Google.
There's also Kurt Weill ("Oh it's a long, long while from May to
December").
That answer is vile, Areff.
|
Your spacing works for me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Robert Lieblich
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 1:25 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Areff wrote:
| Quote: |
Robert Lieblich wrote:
In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time." Consider
the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits on Google.
There's also Kurt Weill ("Oh it's a long, long while from May to
December").
|
That answer is vile, Areff.
--
Liebs
How's my spacing now? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Robert Lieblich
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 3:54 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Areff wrote:
| Quote: |
Robert Lieblich wrote:
Areff wrote:
Robert Lieblich wrote:
In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time." Consider
the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits on Google.
There's also Kurt Weill ("Oh it's a long, long while from May to
December").
That answer is vile, Areff.
Your spacing works for me.
|
Then all is forgiven?
--
Liebs
Actually, I think I've caught the problem by tinkering with my
newsreader |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Lyle
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:17 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
Robert Lieblich wrote:
| Quote: | Areff wrote:
Robert Lieblich wrote:
Areff wrote:
Robert Lieblich wrote:
In addition, "a while" does not necessarily mean "a long time."
Consider the common expression, "a brief while" - 23,400 hits
on
Google.
There's also Kurt Weill ("Oh it's a long, long while from May to
December").
That answer is vile, Areff.
Your spacing works for me.
Then all is forgiven?
|
Too late, I suppose, for me to try a crack about the brevity of these
vile exchanges.
--
Mike.
So I won't. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
R J Valentine
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 7:08 am
Post subject: Re: awhile/a while |
|
|
On Sat, 21 May 2005 15:25:41 -0400 Robert Lieblich <robert.lieblich@verizon.net> wrote:
....
} --
} Liebs
} How's my spacing now?
Works for me, too. Good work.
--
R. J. Valentine <mailto:rj@theWorld.com> |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| |
FAQ
Memberlist
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in