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Are we "loosing" the word "lose" entirely?
Why does it seem practically everyone on the internet--even intelligent people that spell everything else correctly and use correct grammar--use the word "loose" and "loosing" instead of "lose" and "losing"?
Usually on the internet and texting things get shorter, not longer, so why in this case do so many use the longer word?
Do you think they know there are two different words?
Angel, you missed my point entirely -- I was bemoaning the use of the word "loose" instead of lose in a joking way in the subject line. My additional text was completely clear. Sorry you misunderstood; I would have liked to see your answer.
Aida, Oh that is a pet peeve of mine as well. My husband even uses it wrong, sigh. But I am determined that my 4 year old will use it correctly. This is a decidedly uphill battle, as so many of the people she hears use "lay" incorrectly. But I will prevail!
(I'm a librarian and the granddaughter of an English teacher.)
6 Answers
- aidaLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
I suppose the mistake arises from the fact that "loose" is spelled (vowel-wise, anyway) the way "lose" is pronounced. However, I hope that the people who confuse them don't write "whoose" for "whose"! Maybe if people could remember that "lose" rhymes with "whose" and "loose" rhymes with "moose," it would help!
An even worse confusion, to me anyway, is the one between "lay " and "lie." A surprising number of supposedly well-educated people say things like "You'd better lay down" and "That man laid on the sidewalk for an hour."
Source(s): Retired English professor - 1 decade ago
Sadly, I think many people DON'T know they are two different words.. I have 4 grand children and have helped them with their spelling for several years now I always give them a definition or use their words in sentences when helping them.. I think it helps to strengthen their vocabulary and helps them understand the word and the spelling better. Even more sad is the fact that what children are being taught in school now days doesn't come close to what kids learned 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago.. The quality of children's education is partly to blame for kids not knowing how to spell or the correct use of words.. Teachers, I am not assigning blame you are teaching the curriculum the schools require. Phonics use to be a major part of the teaching process. I think if teachers (schools) went back to that, it would improve the quality of proper use, and spelling of the English language..
- 6 years ago
I had to look this up because I thought I was going insane. No such word as "Loosing". Anyone who uses it is internet educated and terminally dumb.
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- *~STEVIE~* *~B~*Lv 71 decade ago
Yes we`ve lost the meaning of the word lose and loose doesn`t seem to fit any more.
- 1 decade ago
Sadly so did you in your question,,,,it is losing,,,,not loosing To LOSE is to not win,,,or to misplace something.
To loosen is to undo say, a skirt that's too tight. Or to loosen your grip on something,,,they have two meanings and are not abbreviations,,,
