First a bit of good news. Shauna's seniors residence is getting the vaccine today. Slowly but surely, eh?
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From my poll yesterday: forecast was favoured over forecasted by a 2:1 ratio.
Canadians almost universally prefered just plain forecast. Actually, only one Canadian uses forecasted. One of the Canadians is an ex-pat Brit if I recall. Another respondent is Dutch; from years of communicating with her here in blogdom, I can say that she is much influenced by British English.
Somewhat surprisingly to me, Americans also favoured the non-ed variation by a 3:1 ratio, but it was a smaller sampling. Another American respondent leaned toward forecast but would use the -ed ending in some contexts.
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Here's another usage question to which I think I already know the answer.
Having just written leaned above, I must tell you that I was torn between leaned and leant.
I suppose that I use leaned more than leant, but I think leant is much more, I dunno, Englishy. I would also guess that I have shifted more toward leaned within my lifetime. Leant is British, the vernacular of my youth, but Canadians have become more and more influenced by American English.
I opted to used leaned (above) at least partly because I think that the other would probably sound foreign to many American ears. I believe that I have seen some Americans attempt to correct those online who use non-standard verb variations such as leant because they are simply not familiar with them. Subsequently, they got told of course.
So is it leaned or leant? Are you at least familiar with leant? Would you ever use leant or non-standard verbs like it.
23 comments:
I'm going with learnt on this one. Yeah to Shauna's seniors getting the vaccine. I do hope she's included in that program.
Definitely prefer forecast. I use both leaned and leant--but probaly I lean toward leaned. One usage I hate is shined instead of shone.
I have never used leant but I can definitely tolerate it.
I don't think I've ever leant against the fence...so I have to admit to having leaned. But I lent her money during Lent! What a fun thing to wake up thinking about...as I wake up. I woke up, never waked up though. But I drank my coffee first thing!
Not familiar with leant. English will survive as a language because it is flexible. By the way my software grammar checker wants to change leant to leaned.
Leaned.
My Indian blog friend uses the word learnt. I use learned.
Evidently spellcheck is scrambling the results of your survey as a couple already are writing learned or learnt instead of leaned and leant.
I'm surprised I am one of the few that use forecasted. I'm not going to be focusing on that to see if it is a regional thing for my neck of the woods.
Unlike the use of forecast, I have never used leant in my life and it feels weird even saying it in a sentence so I'm sure I've never heard someone else use it. We use leaned for sure.
I’ve always used leaned, never leant.
That's me, leaned.
I've never used leant nor am I very familiar with it. I lean toward leaned, although leant is kind of cool. I might use it just to confuse people.
Yes I would, the voiced 't' sound being a contraction of the 'ed. I also use 'burnt' 'lent'(loaned) and others that are not coming to the front of the queue at the moment. It comes of having been brought up on British literature, I guess.
'In America they haven't spoken it for years,' sang Henry Higgins.
Not sure on this one as I have never had cause to use it in the written way. If pushed I would probably go with leant as it is similar to learnt.
My computer uses the American spell checker which means I get red scribbles under everything that should be spelled with ou (neighbour, colour etc) or an s instead of a z (which is pronounced zed, thank you very much) like rationalise and realise. It does make for some fun times when I start to doubt myself and my English.
I am glad my commenting works here again! It was sad not getting to contribute. I am still not sure why I was having difficulties, but it probably was some Google snafu.
I 99% of the time use leaned, but see leant quite frequently too.
I am so am in the mix of “forecast” users although I have heard “forecasted” quite abundantly..... spoken. In my comment that was lost yesterday, I had suggested that if “forecast” was mor “Canadian” I was attributing my usage as being an honorary Canadian due to my very close proximity to the bleeder of your great country and my own French-Canadian heritage. But, sadly, you tallied and “forcast” appears predominate widely in the US too. Too bad..... I enjoyed the “Canadian” feel, eh. :)
Damn, I wrote the above on my phone and spellcheck had a field day! I *think* the gist of my message still comes through, hopefully. :)
PipeTobacco
Bleeder was supposed to be border, BTW.
PipeTobacco
Leaned. However i am scrabble player. I can attest to the fact that leant is a word.
I'm familiar with leant, but use leaned.
I can't say that I've ever seen leant!!!So what do those western Canadians know?
I have heard both but use leaned, myself.
Leaned. Leant is rather quaint.
He LEANED against the wall. An action by the person doing the leaning.
The ladder was LEANT against the wall. Passive.... the ladder didn't do the leaning, someone else caused it to lean.
Just my opinion, probably not worth much.
I saw that on Facebook, the vaccining. It's been quite the year.
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