December 12, 2006

Grammar Check

Do you say, "Are you going or not?" Or do you say, "Are you going or no?"
As insensitive and removed as I am with most things, this one manages to tick me off, having learned to use "or not" while more and more people truncate to save a consonant. I've posted the question to Yahoo! Answers and got these responses:

Christian W: "It's Are you going or not"?
zen: "Not"
Jane Y: "Are you going or not?" would be correct. "
tkdlindz: "are you going or not. Have never heard it the other way. "
boobyprint: "are you going or not.the other one sounds weird. "
Siegimai: "People say "or no" just to make it shorter, proper manners are "Or Not?"
moreacidthanalkaline: "Or not" is correct. In Scotland "no'" is short for "not" so we say "or no'?"
tony: "its or not.What you learn to be correct in school isnt what is practiced. Also sayings differ depending on geography. "
tmlamora1: "not "
David W. S:"Are you going" is sufficient or not/or no is tacit in the question."
drshorty: "They are both fine"

Even Yoda seems to get it: "Do or do not. There is no try"

Isn't it that "or not" refers to "Are you going or not going?" "Or no" would incorrectly mean "Are you going or no going?"

Is it red or not = Is it red or not red.
Do you agree or not = Do you agree or do you not agree.

I will go with David W.S's response and truncate myself: Are you going? Is it red? Do you agree?
Don't get me started with "Look it" as in "Look at it."

1 comment:

Celestine de Leon said...

Either way, I'M NOT GOING!!!! OK!!!