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Do you mean why is it "won't" instead of "willn't"? It comes from the first person present indicative "I woll", which was current even to some extent until the 19th century, but was standard usage in the 16th century. So it is a contraction of "wonnot" which in turn is a contraction of "woll not". The second and third persons were (and of course still are) "will", and originally there was a "wynnot" but "wonnot" won out and replaced it for all persons, at some point in the 16th c.
Posted By: Partial Angler on August 7th 2008 at 13:02:42
Message Thread
- Oi, grammarmeisters. (General Chat) - CB41, Aug 7, 13:00:40
- ↓ (General Chat) - Partial Angler, Aug 7, 13:02:42
- Antoher one... (General Chat) - BB_King, Aug 7, 13:12:34
- No (n/m) (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 7, 13:21:00
- I know it isn't, (General Chat) - BB_King, Aug 7, 13:22:05
- Through/borough/rough/bough/etc - English is not a consistent language (n/m) (General Chat) - Partial Angler, Aug 7, 13:23:49
- I know it isn't, (General Chat) - BB_King, Aug 7, 13:22:05
- House/houses/Mouse/mice (n/m) (General Chat) - Partial Angler, Aug 7, 13:19:54
- the Royal family say hice... (n/m) (General Chat) - blindasabat, Aug 7, 13:24:13
- ...and pronounce "yes" like "ears"... (n/m) (General Chat) - Partial Angler, Aug 7, 13:26:04
- the Royal family say hice... (n/m) (General Chat) - blindasabat, Aug 7, 13:24:13
- No (n/m) (General Chat) - Steve in Holland, Aug 7, 13:21:00
- Thankyou for a serious answer. I had always wondered. (n/m) (General Chat) - CB41, Aug 7, 13:08:22
- what came first my cock or the egg? (n/m) (General Chat) - lovely old job, Aug 7, 13:12:19
- Antoher one... (General Chat) - BB_King, Aug 7, 13:12:34
- ↓ (General Chat) - Partial Angler, Aug 7, 13:02:42
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