aledjonesfanclubforum.myfastforum.org

bestpi · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Tucson Arizona USA

This was first mentioned in a thread and I surmised that it may be saying the same thing as "Making a mountain out of a mole hill." And indeed I was right in one.

But somebody tell me where the UK came up with the past tense of Learn.

I always heard it said "Learned" as in, "He learned his lesson."
Now I hear, "He lernt his lesson."

And while we are at it. Is it that he knealed in church or knelt? Or is knealed plural past tense and Knelt singular past tense?

My spell checker is smoking I better give it a rest.

John US

Sue R · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 15

Hi John

The correct term is Knelt as in he Knelt in church.'

Sue

bestpi · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Tucson Arizona USA

Thank you Sue,

Any opinion on the other two?

John US

Sue R · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 15

It's lernt John, as in he lernt his lesson.

I am awful where the use of language is concerned, I hate it when people mix up lend and borrow. I cringe when I hear people ask to as to have a lend of something when they should be using the word borrow. Arghhhhhhh.

You lend a person a book.
They borrow it from you.

Sue

paulabear1948 · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 12

Hi John

I concur with Sue; definitely learnt.

The use of learned would denote someone having much knowledge, ie learned professor; my learned friend; learned in the ways of the world

Knelt or kneeled, I believe either to be correct.

Hope I am not teaching my granny to suck eggs here. Oh dear; does that need an explanation too?

Love

Paula

bestpi · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Tucson Arizona USA

No need to explain that one, we suck eggs here too!

But I think you may be cofusing (learnd) and (lear'ned) both spelled learned.

As, I learned it from my learned collegue. Neither Rogers thesaurus or the websters dictionary show "learnt." So if it exists then it is strictly UK. The word makes my verb generator smoke as well as my spell check.
But here's one back at you.

Don't go buying a pig in a poke.

paulabear1948 · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 12

What is the difference between 'learnt' and 'learned'?

These are alternative forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb learn. Learnt is more common in British English, and learned in American English. There are a number of verbs of this type (burn, dream, kneel, lean, leap, spell, spill, spoil etc.). They are all irregular verbs, and this is a part of their irregularity.

So, remember this as you're knelt in prayer after you have learnt the words!

ok boss?

Now don't get me started on a "pig in a poke" my very first car, which I bought in 1970 was a prime example. Charming garage owner saw me coming!

Well John, it is 5.56 am here and I must go back to bed or I will be a wreck when Aled joins me in an hour for G.M.S.

poperagurl · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 26

This is a great section for me to read Laughing

I've always been partial to British pronounciation but I'm on message boards with 90% US members so I tend to mix up British & American words. We do have the "Storm in a teacup / Tempest in a tea pot" expression in Norway too as a matter of fact but it directly translates as "storm in a glass of water" Laughing

When I learned English verbs in 4th grade I think we were told that we could choose if we wanted to use "learned" or "learnt", "dreamed" or "dreamt". and so on.

_________________
KAREN PATRICIA