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#113778 10/16/03 03:47 PM
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anyone know the end of this phrase, is there an end to this phrase? i have only ever heard, 'well i never', and,'well i never did'.


#113779 10/16/03 03:55 PM
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...would've believed it?


#113780 10/16/03 06:08 PM
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Well, I never

seen such a thing!
seen such a thing in my entire life!

heard of such a thing!
heard of such a thing in my life!


experienced such a thing!
experienced such a thing before in my entire life!


or something else in a similar vein.


#113781 10/16/03 10:37 PM
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"did", the ending is did
as in "Well, I never did!"[scandalized outrage e]
And of course the answer is either "you should have" or "I'm not surprised"


#113782 10/17/03 01:34 AM
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...heard tell of such a thing.


#113783 10/17/03 10:57 AM
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Well, I never...

...would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

Do you suppose the phrase is sufficiently unique to have a documentable origin? Or, like Topsy (xthread), did it just grow?


#113784 10/17/03 03:22 PM
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i kind of thought it might have another half that goes with it but can be used alone like:
it just goes to show
with
you never can tell
no?
ok
is there a word for that, anyway?


#113785 10/18/03 05:34 AM
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Well, as has been amply illustrated above, "Well, I never!" is short for a longer expression and take your pick for precisely what that longer expression is.

English's ability to shorten the too-long knows no limits. Well, yes it does. Probably the ultimate contraction has to be "halfpenny'sworth" chopped down to "haypth"! I think the English language has rather rested on its laurels since coming up with that one.


#113786 10/18/03 10:40 AM
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Word!?


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Probably the ultimate contraction has to be "halfpenny'sworth" chopped down to "haypth"!

For me the champion has always been "eleëmosynary" ==> "alms".


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