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Electrum Posted 15 years ago
Linguistics Studies

Every so often

What's the status of the following phrases?

Every so often

Every once in a while

Every now and then

What's wrong with using these instead?

Sometimes

At times

Now amd then

Occasionally

Periodically

From time to time

Often

etc,

Do we really need these enbalmed illiteracies?
  

Top answer

What offends you in 'every so often' that does not do so in 'from time to time'? Do you mean 'embalmed' and are you sure you know what 'illiteracy' means? — noun : an inability to read ?

— Mister Micawber

  • What offends you in 'every so often' that does not do so in 'from time to time'?
  • Do you mean 'embalmed' and are you sure you know what 'illiteracy' means?
  • — noun : an inability to read ?
  • noun : ignorance resulting from not reading.
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3 Answers
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What offends you in 'every so often' that does not do so in 'from time to time'?

Do you mean 'embalmed' and are you sure you know what 'illiteracy' means? — noun: an inability to read
? noun: ignorance resulting from not reading.
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Mister MicawberWhat offends you in 'every so often' that does not do so in 'from time to time'?
On the analogy of every day, every year, etc., we would expect a noun, but so often is not a noun.

From time to time: preposition-noun-preposition-noun. Perfect!

I suspect that illiterate or nearly illiterate people invented th
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Why must it be analogous? Who would expect a noun? Where is your noun in 'occasionally'? Why would literate people make them such common phrases then?

Ah, so many questions, so little time and interest. I think this thread needs to be relegated to the Linguistics Forum, which should make a nice playpen.
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