Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The overlooked contraction

So, it was around 4:30 this morning that my mind was doing its wandering thing.  Augie had decided he needed to go outside to relieve himself and then didn't want anything to do with his crate when he came back in.  We settled onto the couch and he went to sleep.

It should scare me when these odd-ball random thoughts pop into my head but I've grown used to them and, most of the time, welcome them.

We use the contraction I was thinking about all the time but I don't believe I've ever seen it in print.  Are you ready for the big reveal?

                                    when's

Ex:  when's it going to snow?  when's Alma going to make a damn apple pie?  when's spring going to get here?

I played around with this particular contraction to see if it could be used with past tense questions.  Turns out it can!

Ex:  when's the last time I weighed 120 pounds?    hmmmm, that's the only example I could come up with for past tense.

There are a ton o' contractions; why isn't "when's" one of them?   

4 comments:

  1. Yeah...why's that? I'll be pondering all day now!!!

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    1. Kass - let me know if anything comes from all that pondering.

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  2. Deep thoughts in the darkness of night. Do you keep the crated Augie in your room at night? Rockefeller is in the kitchen...not sure we would hear him if he had to go. Thankfully he must have a bladder of steel because even in the mornings when I let him out of the crate, he either just lays in there a while more or I have to remind him that he has to pee before he goes traipsing off looking for his toy. Goofy dog.

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    1. Heather - Augie sleeps in the foyer but unless we put him out in the garage (never gonna happen; just kidding), we can hear him wherever he is.
      He hasn't done this in forever and really had to go. I just wish he'd gone back to "bed" afterward. Ah well. Tonight will be much better - I hope.

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