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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
English in UK
Two questions
Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?
Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled differently in England (nought, or nowt)?
Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled differently in England (nought, or nowt)?
Top answer
[/nq] "Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably common use. [/nq] No.
- [/nq] "Not for nothing" is the correct phrase.
- Yes, it is in reasonably common use.
- [/nq] No.
- "Naught" is an old word equivalent to "nothing".
- "Nought" (pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is equivalent to "zero".
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8 Answers
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At 14:03:21 on Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Ivan (Email Removed) wrote in (Email Removed):
[nq:1]Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?[/nq]
"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."
[nq:1]Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled
[nq:1]Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?[/nq]
"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."
[nq:1]Is it true "naught" is sometimes spelled
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I wonder whether the enquirer may also have had 'owt for nowt' in mind - the idea that you don't get anything for nothing: direct equivalent of TANSTAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
Danny Collman, Birmingham
Danny Collman, Birmingham
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[nq:2]Anyone familiar with the phrase, "not (or naught) for nothing"?[/nq]
[nq:1]"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."[/nq]
The literal equivalent is also frequently used in Flemish/Dutch: 'niet voor niets'.
- Herman -
[nq:1]"Not for nothing" is the correct phrase. Yes, it is in reasonably common use. "It was not for nothing that he worked hard at his revision, since he passed his exam with flying colours."[/nq]
The literal equivalent is also frequently used in Flemish/Dutch: 'niet voor niets'.
- Herman -
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[nq:1]I wonder whether the enquirer may also have had 'owt for nowt' inmind - the idea that you don't get anything for nothing: direct equivalentof TANSTAFL - There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Danny Collman, Birmingham[/nq]
No. It's from an Amercian TV show (The West Wing), and characters frequently preface a statement of opinion with "Not for nothing but...". Now it seems to me the "
No. It's from an Amercian TV show (The West Wing), and characters frequently preface a statement of opinion with "Not for nothing but...". Now it seems to me the "
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> No. "Naught" is an old word equivalent to "nothing". "Nought"
[nq:1](pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is equivalent to "zero". "Nowt" is a dialect word for "naught" / "nothing". Molly Mockford[/nq]
Thank you, Molly. Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?
[nq:1](pronounced exactly the same as "naught") is in current use and is equivalent to "zero". "Nowt" is a dialect word for "naught" / "nothing". Molly Mockford[/nq]
Thank you, Molly. Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?
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[nq:1]Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?[/nq]
Yes.
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e)
Yes.
Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from u.c.l.e)
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[nq:2]Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?[/nq]
[nq:1]Yes.[/nq]
But not as "now" +"t", TV and radio notwithstanding.
http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/photo/0y08-0.htm
Devil's Arrow at Boroughbridge
[nq:1]Yes.[/nq]
But not as "now" +"t", TV and radio notwithstanding.
http://www.dacha.freeuk.com/photo/0y08-0.htm
Devil's Arrow at Boroughbridge
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[nq:1]Thank you, Molly. Is "Nowt" pronounced differently, as in "now" +"t"?[/nq]
That's a very good question. You can actually tell the area of origin of people in some parts of northern England by their pronunciation of 'nowt'. To us Lankies, the Yorkshire pronunciation sounds more like 'note', and Oldham is fairly close to that. But over in Leigh, it's halfway between 'now-t' and 'newt'. Of
That's a very good question. You can actually tell the area of origin of people in some parts of northern England by their pronunciation of 'nowt'. To us Lankies, the Yorkshire pronunciation sounds more like 'note', and Oldham is fairly close to that. But over in Leigh, it's halfway between 'now-t' and 'newt'. Of
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