密歇根新闻广播 谁来决定哪些词可以缩写

 

We use contractions² such as "can't" or "shouldn't" all the time in our writing. There are a few though that we use in speech but probably wouldn't write down.

For example, if you read that last paragraph out loud, do you actually say "there are" or do you squish the words together as a contraction¹ -- "there're"?

Here's another question: Would you ever use "there're" in writing? Probably not, but many of us wouldn't have a problem using contractions like "can't" and "won't.

So why do some contractions get a pass but not others?

This question came up in 2012 after USA Today ran this headline: "Notre Dame³, what're you going to do about it?"

After the story ran, USA Today acknowledged that the headline had raised some questions over whether "what're" is actually a word. The publication said that after some research, they found out that it's not.

English Professor Anne Curzan wanted to know exactly what USA Today meant by that. She assumed they meant that they couldn't find "what're" in standard dictionaries. It turns out that's true. Curzan checked the American Heritage, Merriam Webster and Collins dictionaries and didn't find "what're" in any of them.

However, "won't," "shouldn't," and "haven't" do show up in standard dictionaries. So does "ain't," even though people always seems to be arguing about whether it's actually a word.

But dictionaries don't always agree. "Would've" and "could've" aren't in the American Heritage or Merriam Webster dictionaries, but they are in Collins. "There've" is listed in the Collins and American Heritage dictionaries but not Merriam Webster.

"There're" isn't listed in any of the standard dictionaries. But "there'll," another contraction that many of us say but wouldn't write, shows up in the Merriam Webster and Collins dictionaries but not American Heritage. "It'll" shows up in all three.

So who gets to decide whether something is actually a word?

"The answer is editors are trying to responsibly put in common contractions, but they won't always be in agreement, and they won't always be entirely⁴ consistent in the dictionary," says Curzan.

What other contractions do you use in speech but not in writing? Let us know below.

1 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

2 contractions   

n.收缩( contraction的名词复数 )；缩减；缩略词；（分娩时）子宫收缩

参考例句：

• Contractions are much more common in speech than in writing. 缩略词在口语里比在书写中常见得多。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Muscle contractions are powered by the chemical adenosine triphosphate(ATP ). 肌肉收缩是由化学物质三磷酸腺苷(ATP)提供动力的。 来自辞典例句

3 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。