COCA
didn't use to 24
didn't used to 99
BNC
didn't use to 17
didn't used to 24
So the spelling with the 'd' is more common even in British English.
Frankly, just write whichever you feel like. Both appear to be legitimate.
Search found 1421 matches
- Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:30 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Is "used to" a modal? If not, what would you call
- Replies: 49
- Views: 49502
- Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:14 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Is "used to" a modal? If not, what would you call
- Replies: 49
- Views: 49502
- Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:13 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Is "used to" a modal? If not, what would you call
- Replies: 49
- Views: 49502
but realize they are both decidedly descriptive (although Columbia is much better). As such, they are't especially helpful for making final decisions on the job. So describing how the language works doesn't help you make linguistic decisions? Why don't you get somebody to program you a Random Silly...
- Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:30 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Is "used to" a modal? If not, what would you call
- Replies: 49
- Views: 49502
- Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:24 pm
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: A different way to teach grammar?
- Replies: 59
- Views: 47496
- Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:27 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Crystal's Applied Cultural Linguistics
- Replies: 24
- Views: 10550
- Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:24 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Facile
- Replies: 3
- Views: 2473
I suspect it's one of those words that has changed it's meaning. The modern meaning of 'superficial, without depth' is given by the SOED as dating from the 20th century. Before that the word was simply a synonym for easy. The BNC which goes from 1980-1993 does have 'facile' used in the older sense a...
- Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:49 pm
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Crystal's Applied Cultural Linguistics
- Replies: 24
- Views: 10550
- Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:33 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Crystal's Applied Cultural Linguistics
- Replies: 24
- Views: 10550
The quote from Hansard is a clear example of informal language being used deliberately for effect. Actually the reason I chose the Texas Law Review is that Brian Garner is the editor. I agree lots of decisions to be made, and not necessarily by the same person; somebody chooses the corpus, somebody ...
- Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:18 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Is it true that there are seven parts of speech?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 3614
As woodcutter has said there is no agreement on the terminology. I don't know how many the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language lists but I would think around twenty. The traditonal terminology is fine for nouns, adjectives, interjections, verbs (to some extent), and to some extent for preposti...
- Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:55 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Crystal's Applied Cultural Linguistics
- Replies: 24
- Views: 10550
one reason being that they are usually very careful to include no "?" moments in their own chatter. (The modelling may be subconcious to some degree). You're putting the cart before the horse here. ? means I wouldn't use it but I can't definitely say its incorrect. Descriptivists make judgment call...
- Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:00 pm
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Crystal's Applied Cultural Linguistics
- Replies: 24
- Views: 10550
It's not easy to select a corpus of "formal English". The British National Corpus divides it's entries by register and so does the American Corpus at BYU. Now judgement calls need to be made. However those judgement calls are going to be based on evidence; too many prescriptivists simply make state...
- Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:21 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Grammar Brouhaha - ETA Queensland
- Replies: 16
- Views: 9428
The main problem is that there is no agreed terminology. There is no agreement on what the parts of speech are and what part of speech each word is, nor on how many tenses there are in English (most authorities claim two but the CGEL considers there to be four as it doesn't think the Perfect is an a...
- Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:16 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: What is the correct reflexive pronoun for someone?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 7252
- Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:28 am
- Forum: Applied Linguistics
- Topic: Grammar Brouhaha - ETA Queensland
- Replies: 16
- Views: 9428