I’m Right, You’re Wrong!

by Marinka on December 21, 2010

Hello!

I’m’ck with I’m Right, You’re Wrong! (that means I’m Back with I’m Right, You’re Wrong!)

This week’s dilemma: How do we feel about double contractions? Such as, instead of writing I would have, you’d write, I’d’ve?

Disagreers: Marinka and friend and fellow-blogger Annie.

Position One: Really? You need to contract that because you’re so busy? The double contraction may be technically correct, but it looks so weird. Besides, people can’t get the its and it’s straight, isn’t the double contraction just asking for trouble?!?

Position Two: It’s cool because it looks weird! It’s a great way to shorten words and avoid carpal tunnel without resorting to LOL, OMG and ROTFLMAO. Plus when reading aloud, sentences like “I’d’ve eaten 6 more pieces of fudge but the doctor said I shouldn’t’ve eaten the first 12”, just roll off the tongue. Try it.

Where’d’ou come out on this, oh, wise internet?

One year ago ...

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December 21, 2010 at 9:35 pm

{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }

Heather
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 12:22 pm

Double contractions are an abomination. Bleh. I’m shuddering right now.

(Although I probably use them when speaking, but never ever in writing.)

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Megan December 21, 2010 at 12:24 pm

I’ve been writing professionally for over 20 years and I’ve never seen that before. It’s really correct? I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I guess it would have to be a thumbs down. It looks odd and will make people trip over it when they read, thus pulling them out of what they are reading to say, “WTF is THAT?”. Never a good thing.

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Roxanne December 21, 2010 at 12:31 pm

Ugh. I hate double contractions. I don’t like LOL, OMG either. Personally, it all seems so lazy to me.

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Kyle December 21, 2010 at 1:00 pm

For me, it’s a style choice. I like to type phonetically. Like “gonna” instead of “going to”. But I’m weird like that.

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pam December 21, 2010 at 1:12 pm

NONONONONONONO!!! Oh did I say NO? Let’s get people to use proper single contractions first. Then NEVER bring up double ones!!!

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Yuliya
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 1:23 pm

I didn’t even know these existed. Must come up with a way to use this in a sentence. Stat.

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Vicki
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 2:24 pm

I couldn’t find a way to make a Grammar Nazi joke without confusing or offending half of your commenters, so I’ll just say nein on the double contraction for real.

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Miss Britt
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 2:40 pm

Please tell me which one of you suggested that there was something OK with a double contraction so I know who to banish from my world immediately.

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annie December 21, 2010 at 3:27 pm

Ok Marinka – now you’re just making up weird ones!! Nobody makes contractions out of “you”.

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annie December 21, 2010 at 3:28 pm

You as the contracted word I mean.

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magpie December 21, 2010 at 4:30 pm

“I’d’ve” can’t possibly be right.

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Fragrant Liar December 21, 2010 at 4:47 pm

In my writers’ circles, you’d’ve been hog-tied for such language. Also? Double contractions make my brain hurt.

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Josefina December 21, 2010 at 4:53 pm

I’m not a grammatical genius, but I would never use that. I would think it was okay if someone was trying to be funny and styley and write the way they speak, but otherwise…no.

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Andrea
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 5:03 pm

I *might* SAY things that way, just when speaking quickly, but I’d never write that.

Shouldn’t’ve? What on Earth? Really? No. No thank you.

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Becky Mochaface December 21, 2010 at 5:11 pm

No. Just. No.

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Suebob
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 7:12 pm

No. But after talking to a lady in the southern US the other day, I’m thinking of starting to use the phrase “might could.” As in – “I might could start using double contractions.”

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Bostulla December 21, 2010 at 8:21 pm

no

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Kristine
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 8:42 pm

AW, MAN!

I was all excited thinking I’d find a bunch of double frickin’ contractors down here. And not just because I invented it, but because we’re English people!

(I wrote I’d’ve on Twitter the other day. I’m gonna go to bed assuming I inspired this lively debate. Or, um, stoning of DOUBLE CONTRACTORS)

But really, I AM NOT ASHAMED.

(My phone also auto-corrects to it quite often, if that tells you anything.)

I can’t believe you people.

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annie December 21, 2010 at 9:31 pm

I love that you’re not afraid to use them!! Thanks!

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Cameron
Twitter:
March 7, 2011 at 7:09 pm

I could’ve written this exact comment, I was so excited to find other people who use it and then OH! THE JUDGMENT! I use them all the time in e-mails and blogging and things that I want to sound like the way I talk. (I would never use them in a formal letter or if I still had to write papers for school or anything.) And by the way, I have an English degree.

By the by, the use of double contractions is far less annoying than the people who refuse to use capital letters. That makes me crazy. And words that don’t exist, like “totes,” totally bother me. But everyone says I’d’ve for crying out loud!!

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Gdot December 21, 2010 at 8:46 pm

It would mean using the apostrophe too much….

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Tracie
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 8:47 pm

I have never once heard that a double contraction could be correct.

There is no way.

….and even if it is correct, I do not accept them in my world. No. No. NO!

It might save you a second when you are typing, but it take an extra five seconds for your reader to try to figure out what the hell you are saying. As a reader, that annoys me.

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Nona
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 9:26 pm

No. Effin’. Way. Ever.

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Ann's Rants
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 10:42 pm

I am so upset over this. Thanks a lot.

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Tess Jones
Twitter:
December 21, 2010 at 11:15 pm

I despise the double contractions. They should be categorized as slang.

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Bekah December 21, 2010 at 11:21 pm

Well, I thought I was cool with the double contractions until I realized that I’m not smart enough to figure out what they mean when written. So sad…so, so sad…

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From Belgium December 22, 2010 at 5:12 am

English isn’t my first language, but I don’t like double contractions any more than I like the ‘dt’ rules in Dutch grammar or the ‘subjonctif’ in French. Makes things unnecessary complicted if you ask me…

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From Belgium December 22, 2010 at 5:12 am

Complicated, I meant complicated. Damn typo

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Kelly December 22, 2010 at 5:16 am

I love these comments… Nerve touched! Personally I’m totes into abbrevs at the mo and my brain is full – I just don’t’ve time to consid it, so you know, whatevs on the doub contracts!

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the mama bird diaries
Twitter:
December 22, 2010 at 7:40 am

I like any punctuation that helps me slur my words together. I’m all for it!

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hoodyhoo December 22, 2010 at 8:01 am

I think I like it, although I’m not sure it’s technically good enough for the Grammar Nazis out there. I try to write the way I talk, so when you read my words you “hear” my voice, so double-contractions should help!

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Lindsay
Twitter:
December 22, 2010 at 11:43 am

I’ve never heard of a double contraction and now that I’ve seen them in writing, I am DEFINITELY against them. They are horrifying!

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K A B L O O E Y
Twitter:
October 8, 2011 at 12:36 am

I’d’ve been on your side, ‘cept I kinda like’em. Doncha? C’mon’ow. They totally work, Y’see?

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