[etni] Re: Cannot vs. Can not
- From: "sbshai" <sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Rivka Lewenstein" <rlewen@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:54:46 +0200
I CANNOT fathom why CAN NOT is unacceptable if it appears in a reliable
source, but since we CAN'T control the whims and wishes of authority figures
(AKA linguists, lexicographers, grammarians and the mightiest of them all --
the MOE), this may just remain another one of life's unresolved mysteries!
(BTW, my "heritage edition" of Merriam-Webster's lists the definition of
"cannnot" as "can not", so that should show 'em!)
Seriously, I must admit that I'm more than a bit jealous of teachers who
need to concern themselves with such matters, while I'm still trying to
convince 5 pointers that the present progressive CANNOT/ CAN NOT/CAN'T be
used in place of the present simple, as in the following case: I am always
coming late to English class. {Ed. comment: That's probably why you haven't
learned the difference between the simple and progressive tenses!}
Shabbat Shalom,
Batya
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rivka Lewenstein" <rlewen@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, 25 November, 2010 6:40 PM
Subject: [etni] Cannot vs. Can not
>A teacher asked me a question which has left me stumped. He said that he
>had
> seen a rule, and also seen papers where teachers took off points for
> breaking
> the supposed rule, that the only correct negative forms of "can" are
> "can't" and
> "cannot." According to this rule, "can not" is unacceptable.
>
> I had never heard of such a rule, and according to the Merriam-Webster's
> dictionary, both "cannot" and "can not" are acceptable, although "cannot"
> is
> more commonly used. However, this teacher wondered if this was a rule
> somehow
> specific to Israel - in other words, whether it's something that the
> English
> Inspectorate insists on regardless of what Merriam-Webster's and others
> say.
>
> So now I'm turning to you: Have any of you heard of this rule? If so, what
> are
> its origins? Is there anyone on ETNI land who would take off points if a
> student
> wrote "can not?" Why?
>
> Thanks,
> Rivka
>
>
>
>
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