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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread It used to be...? #163316 11/08/2006 6:33 PM Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando ParkinT enthusiast ParkinT enthusiast Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando In conversation today I was struck (it left a bruise) by this peculiar item. Growing up in Philadelphia I realize a part of my regular speech pattern includes reference to the past as, "used to be". We also say, "I was used to..." meaning 'accustomed'. There are many oddities in our language that I can deduce the origin. This one is a puzzle to me! Can anyone illustrate the root of such an odd collection of words? Analyzing the phrase (and I can imagine someone for whom English is not a native language having a question) it makes no sense. These words simply don't work together. I am very interested in your thoughts. ------------------------------------ "I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: It used to be...? #163317 11/11/2006 1:34 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 That's an interesting question. It's right up there with why we use "have" to indicate perfect tenses or "go" as a periphrastic future. The latter is commonly used in Romance languages, but only, as far as I know, in English among the Germanic languages. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: It used to be...? #163318 11/12/2006 12:30 AM Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando ParkinT enthusiast ParkinT enthusiast Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 293 Orlando Well, thank you for the response. "I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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