DASN'T

[Dr. Goodword]

• dasn't •

Pronunciation: dæs-ênt • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, auxiliary (sort of)

Meaning: Dare not.

Notes: This odd little word is generally considered a dialectal variant but it is heard from Wisconsin to the Deep South especially in the speech of elderly people. It comes neither from mispronunciation nor ignorance but from old forms of dare that are no longer used (see History).

In Play: If you hear someone say this, remember that it is just an older form of dares not and nothing "I dasn't drink a martini while I'm taking my medicine for fear of falling victim to the thousands of side effects it apparently has on some." In Chapter 8 of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain wrote, "I tried to get Tom to come away, but he wouldn't, and I dasn't budge by myself." It sounds a bit dated and twangy but as long as we read writers like Twain, it will continue to pop up.

Word History: Dare is a part-time auxiliary verb. Only auxiliary verbs (verbs that must appear with another verb) like can, do, and have form contractions (can't, don't, haven't). English also brings auxiliaries out to the front of the sentence in questions, "Dare I take the last chocolate chip cookie?" But we also use it as a regular verb, "Do I dare take the cookie?" So this verb comes to us in a state of confusion. It apparently brought an old form of the imperative with it, for the S was originally in other forms of the verb: you might still hear he durst for "he dared" or she dursn't for "she dared not". Apparently, an old imperative form with an S survived among the nooks and crannies of the English-speaking world. (I dasn't end this discussion without commending the courage of Donald C. Schark for suggesting today's Good Word.)

[saparris]

Having lived in the Piedmont region of South Carolina all my life, I have heard dasn't on occasion, especially from older folk, but I wasn't aware why the "s" was there. Thanks for the explanation. It holp (past tense of help) me a lot.

I'm new the the alpha agora, having come with others from another recently defunct forum. I look forward you palavering with all ya'll "raiglerly."

[LukeJavan8]

Glad to see you made it, saparris. I know y'all
are glad too to have your coffee here. I've had a very
warm welcome so far. Just need a place to find
us daily, and I am not yet terribly acquainted with a
place to replace our former "forum" of daily listings.
If you know: please let me know. I emailed yesterday
all our 'friends' from the other site. I told them to
meet on "Welcome Home" thread, so perhaps we will
see more there. Good to see your name on the
postings.
Luke

[saparris]

I saw your e-mail and am glad that you went ahead with that. I've been reading forum posts on the site, but I figured that I dasn't keep my mouth shut too much longer, or you would think that I had become lost in a kudzu patch.

Still working on a way to get avatars to a URL.

[LukeJavan8]

Thanks for the URL thing. I don't get how to do any of
this, and after my frustration with the other download
business, I appreciate the help: I sure miss
Luke-a-lele.

As for being lost in the Kudzu, I thought, actually, that
maybe you out cutting holly again, and jumping in the
pile like kids in leaves. But if you stand still too long the
Kudzu will take over and get you like the bushes in the
Harry Potter movie (which I know you have not seen)
but will have to and remember the image: when you finish
LOTR.

[LukeJavan8]

Thanks for the URL thing. I don't get how to do any of
this, and after my frustration with the other download
business, I appreciate the help: I sure miss
Luke-a-lele.

As for being lost in the Kudzu, I thought, actually, that
maybe you out cutting holly again, and jumping in the
pile like kids in leaves. But if you stand still too long the
Kudzu will take over and get you like the bushes in the
Harry Potter movie (which I know you have not seen)
but will have to and remember the image: when you finish
LOTR.

[LukeJavan8]

And for some reason, the post appeared twice.

[saparris]

Double talk.

[LukeJavan8]

Reminds me of the difficult time back on WOTD.
Things appeared twice, now not at all. Requiescat in pace!

[LukeJavan8]

Am enjoying this site so far.
I don't see any "sickie" on the emoticon bunch, tho'
and I don't know what I will do.

[saparris]

They probably removed it when they saw you coming.

I'm off to run some errands. Later.

[LukeJavan8]

Removed it! How can you say such a thing. I am highly
incensed! I can use words that say sooooo much more.