It's "have" not "of".

[DaleCooper]

I had assumed the use of "of" in place of "have" in phrases such as "I should of bought a ticket" was a relatively recent phenomenon but I've just discovered this

"We must of took the wrong fork back yonder."

in the 1943 Ray Bradbury short story "The Scythe".

It's not just a product of text messages and the internet after all.

 

[DarloRich]

I think people have long used that structure of words in speech - common in the north east for example

 

[GusB]

"Must of" annoy's me to, but not as much as misused apopstrophe's. Loosers!

 

[SS4]

That's pretty cool actually, especially since they're used interchangably in the spoken word

 

[HowardGWR]

I had assumed the use of "of" in place of "have" in phrases such as "I should of bought a ticket" was a relatively recent phenomenon but I've just discovered this



in the 1943 Ray Bradbury short story "The Scythe".

It's not just a product of text messages and the internet after all.

Yes but that was quoted speech. It wasn't Bradbury's idea of acceptable English. He was just quoting that which people say.

Is there a difference between dialect and illiteracy?

On our main correspondence threads, the written text submitted often exposes the writer's illiteracy. Initially. I was tempted to reply as a grammar policeman but after a few attempts, I realised that it would only create anger or the correspondent's hurt. I don't bother with such, any longer.

If they think 'of' is a verb, that's the way it is for them. They also don't know the difference between 'less' and 'fewer' and that latter mistake, I note, comes from supposedly educated people.

'Less punctuality', 'fewer punctual trains'. 'Less reliability'. 'fewer reliable services'.

 

[yorkie]

I think people have long used that structure of words in speech - common in the north east for example

I disagree. People are saying "should've" (which is a valid abbreviation of "should have") but they are just pouncing it in a way that some people may interpret as sounding like "should of".

 

[pemma]

I was told at school it's OK to say things like 'would of' but it's not OK to write them and you should write 'would have' instead.

 

[pemma]

They also don't know the difference between 'less' and 'fewer' and that latter mistake, I note, comes from supposedly educated people.

Remember it was managers of the main supermarkets who came up with '10 items or less' aisles. I believe '10 items or fewer' aisles are available in Waitrose and M&S stores.

 

[theblackwatch]

Loosers!

That being the opposite of Tighters!

 

[DarloRich]

I disagree. People are saying "should've" (which is a valid abbreviation of "should have") but they are just pouncing it in a way that some people may interpret as sounding like "should of".

they are not - there is a hard o in the pronunciation quite distinctive in speech especially in North eastern accents - perhaps York is more refined and well educated

 

[Calthrop]

They also don't know the difference between 'less' and 'fewer' and that latter mistake, I note, comes from supposedly educated people.

'Less punctuality', 'fewer punctual trains'. 'Less reliability'. 'fewer reliable services'.

Remember it was managers of the main supermarkets who came up with '10 items or less' aisles. I believe '10 items or fewer' aisles are available in Waitrose and M&S stores.

I love the tale of the Pedants' Revolt, led by Which Tyler. At one stage in this epic, the king rides out to try to negotiate with the rebels. He gets to the place where they're all gathered, and exclaims, "Good gracious ! You people are numerous -- I'd imagined that there'd be less of you." Response thereto by Which and his followers, in one mighty in-unison shout: "FEWER !"

(I'm in favour of good and proper English usage; but feel that there are worse evils in the world, than the violation of same.)

 

[meridian2]

I disagree. People are saying "should've" (which is a valid abbreviation of "should have") but they are just pouncing it in a way that some people may interpret as sounding like "should of".

It almost certainly began that way, but the contraction has taken on a life of its own. The conditional mood has taken its leave.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I disagree. People are saying "should've" (which is a valid abbreviation of "should have") but they are just pouncing it in a way that some people may interpret as sounding like "should of".

That's put a cat among the pigeons!

(Coat already retrieved).

 

[CarlSilva]

reported for grammar nazi ism.

 

[DaleCooper]

reported for grammar nazi ism.

Did you mean, "Reported for grammar Nazism."?

 

[CarlSilva]

Did you mean, "Reported for grammar Nazism."?

I don't know. I cant' spell 'grammar nazi ism.' Do I won £5 ?

Really it's just about if someone can understand it or not. If they can, then no biggie is it? If they cant' then is there an app wtih the subtitles ?Or is that only youtube ?

 

[Busaholic]

Remember it was managers of the main supermarkets who came up with '10 items or less' aisles. I believe '10 items or fewer' aisles are available in Waitrose and M&S stores.

Usually 'baskets only' aisles these days - a nice way to think of their punters (sorry, valued customers)

 

[Starmill]

I think when I say "should've" it could very easily sound like 'of' I often don't include the hard 'o'. For example if I'm saying Bridge of Allan I will almost always pronounce that in the same way I'd pronounce should've. It sounds much like 'Bridge've Allan'. Unless the 'of' is at the start of a sentence I won't usually stress the 'o'. But that's also connected to my accent which never incorporates the hard 'a' in glass, bath, pass (this word sounds nothing like parse!) etc.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Some teenage graffiti reflects an Eastern European influence when "ov" is used instead of the word "of".

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

We were given 100 lines at school for every mistake we made like that, by the English master.

 

[meridian2]

My eldest son says wiv for with. No one else in the family pronounces it that way. I'd like to get grumpy but he got 3 A* and an A at A level (including English) so I live with it. The job of the old is to live in the shadow of the young.