Difference between revisions of "Colloquial contractions"

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== Contractions  ==
+
The following are colloquial and fast speech phenomena that result from consonant assimilation (blending) and vowel reduction.
  
−
=== Pronoun contractions ===
 
  
 +
== Pronoun contractions ==
  
−
{| class="apatable"
+
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-   
 
|-   
 
|class="superheader"| formal
 
|class="superheader"| formal
−
|class="superheader"| colloquial and fast speech
+
|class="superheader"| colloquial & fast speech     
 
|-   
 
|-   
 
| you
 
| you
Line 33: Line 33:
 
| whacha
 
| whacha
 
|-   
 
|-   
−
| verb + pronoun:
+
| verb + pronoun:             
  
 
-d + you  
 
-d + you  
Line 70: Line 70:
  
  
−
‘Bet you’ = ‘I suppose, believe; I reason, assume, posit’. ‘Gotcha’ also = ‘okay, understood’ as well as its more literal senses. Also, /h/ is often deleted in pronouns like ''he, him, her'', e.g.:
+
'Bet you' = 'I suppose, believe; I reason, assume, posit'. 'Gotcha' also = 'okay, understood' ('got you' = 'got your meaning, understood') as well as its more literal senses (I have got / caught you'). Also, /h/ is often deleted in pronouns like ''he, him, her'', e.g.:
 
* get ‘er = get her
 
* get ‘er = get her
 
* get ‘im = get him.
 
* get ‘im = get him.
  
  
−
=== Modal and auxiliary verb contractions ===
+
==Contractions with main verbs or semi-modals ==  
  
−
The perfect tense auxiliary ''have'' often contracts to /əv/ or ‘ve, sometimes written very informally as of, e.g., “I should of gone” = “I should’ve gone.” Pronouns with the perfect tense auxiliary have often contract together, e.g., “I’ve, you’ve, we’ve.” With modal verbs, ''have'' can contract even more like so:  
+
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! colloquial !! formal / standard
 +
|- 
 +
|-
 +
| dunno || (I) don't know
 +
|-
 +
| gimme || give me
 +
|-
 +
| gonna || going to (immediate future)
 +
|-
 +
| gotta || (have) got to (i.e., need to, have to)
 +
|-
 +
| gotta || got a (i.e., I have a/an __)
 +
|-
 +
| lemme  || let me
 +
|-
 +
| wanna || want to
 +
|-
 +
| wanna || want a (e.g., I want a coffee)
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Other word classes==
 +
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! colloquial !! formal / standard
 +
|-
 +
| kinda || kind of = slightly, somewhat, e.g., It's kinda cold <br> (Less often, 'sorta' has a similar meaning.)
 +
|-
 +
| outta || out of  
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Gonna==
 +
The immediate future ''gonna'' evolved from ''going to'' in early modern English. From the literal physical meaning of ''going to'' + place, it developed a purpose meaning ('going in order to do something'), which then developed into an immediate future sense. It differs from the normal future in these ways:
 +
# It is more colloquial or informal, e.g., ''I'm gonna go shopping'' is more informal than ''I'm going to go shopping,'' which in turn is more informal than ''I will go shopping.''
 +
# In the first person, it often has a sense of intention: ''I'm gonna go shopping'' can imply the speaker's intention to do so.
 +
# ''Gonna'' denotes immediate future, e.g., something that the speaker expects will happen in the relatively near or immediate future, or that the speaker intends to do in the immediate future. ''Will'' could be in the less immediate or more remote future.
 +
 
 +
Note: Some English learners may mistakenly say ''I'm gonna to go'', not realizing that this is awkward, since ''gonna'' is a contraction of ''going to''.
  
  
 +
== Modal and auxiliary verb contractions ==
 +
The perfect tense auxiliary ''have'' often contracts to /əv/ or ‘ve, sometimes written very informally as of, e.g., “I should of gone” = “I should’ve gone.” Pronouns with the perfect tense auxiliary have often contract together, e.g., “I’ve, you’ve, we’ve.” With modal verbs, ''have'' can contract even more like so:
  
−
{| class="apatable"   
+
{| class="wikitable"   
 
|-   
 
|-   
 
|class="superheader"| formal
 
|class="superheader"| formal
−
|class="superheader"| colloquial and fast speech
+
|class="superheader"| colloquial & fast speech
 
|-
 
|-
−
|should have [+ past articiple]
+
|should have (+ past participle) &nbsp; &nbsp; 
  
 
could have   
 
could have   
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might have   
 
might have   
−
| shoulda[+ past participle]
+
| shoulda (+ past participle) &nbsp; &nbsp; 
  
 
coulda   
 
coulda   
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mighta  
 
mighta  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|going to [+ verb]
+
|going to (+ verb)
  
 
want to  
 
want to  
Line 135: Line 177:
 
/kən/  
 
/kən/  
 
|-
 
|-
 +
| I'mma || I'm going to (dialectal) 
 +
|-
 +
| innit? (British English} || isn't it?
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
 
While ''can'' is often reduced to a very short /kən/ (something like “I c’n do it”), the negative ''can’t'' does not reduce, but keeps a full vowel and regular syllable length: /kænt/. This in fact is the best clue for distinguishing them when listening.  
 
While ''can'' is often reduced to a very short /kən/ (something like “I c’n do it”), the negative ''can’t'' does not reduce, but keeps a full vowel and regular syllable length: /kænt/. This in fact is the best clue for distinguishing them when listening.  
−
* can/kæn/ → /kən/ (very short)  
+
* can /kæn/ → /kən/ (very short)  
−
* can’t /kænt/(normal length, full vowel)  
+
* can’t /kænt/ (normal length, full vowel)  
  
  
  
 
The verb ''ain’t ''was originally contracted from ''I am not ''centuries ago, but has become a general purpose negative verb in various dialects in the U.S and the U.K. – as a main verb or auxiliary, for first person (“I”) or any subject. The ''-ing'' ending of verbs often reduces to ''–in’'' /ɪn/, as in ''doin’, goin’, swimmin’,'' etc.  
 
The verb ''ain’t ''was originally contracted from ''I am not ''centuries ago, but has become a general purpose negative verb in various dialects in the U.S and the U.K. – as a main verb or auxiliary, for first person (“I”) or any subject. The ''-ing'' ending of verbs often reduces to ''–in’'' /ɪn/, as in ''doin’, goin’, swimmin’,'' etc.  
−
* I ain’t the one. You ain’t it. He ain’t it. [main verb]
+
* I ain’t the one. You ain’t it. He ain’t it. (main verb)
−
* We ain’t the ones. They ain’t the ones. [main verb]
+
* We ain’t the ones. They ain’t the ones. (main verb}
−
* I ain’t goin’. He ain’t gonna go. [semi-modal verb]  
+
* I ain’t goin’. He ain’t gonna go. {semi-modal verb])
−
* I ain’t gone yet. [negative for perfect / past tense]
+
* I ain’t gone yet. (negative for perfect / past tense)
  
−
 
+
== Examples ==
−
==== Examples ====
 
  
  
 
{| class="wikitable"   
 
{| class="wikitable"   
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 1
+
| 1
−
|| What do you think?  
+
| What do you think?  
−
|| Whaddaya think?
+
| Whaddaya think?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 2
+
| 2
−
|| What do you do after school?
+
| What do you do after school?
−
|| Whaddaya do after school?
+
| Whaddaya do after school?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 3
+
| 3
−
|| What are you doing right now?
+
| What are you doing right now?
−
|| Whaddaya doin’ right now?
+
| Whaddaya doin’ right now?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 4
+
| 4
−
|| I’m going to go see a Star Trek movie.
+
| I’m going to go see a Star Trek movie.
−
|| I’m gonna go see a Star Trek movie.
+
| I’m gonna go see a Star Trek movie.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 5
+
| 5
−
|| Why are you going to see that?  
+
| Why are you going to see that?  
−
|| Why’re you gonna go see that?
+
| Why’re you gonna go see that?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 6
+
| 6
−
|| Because I’m going to take my brother, and he likes those movies.
+
| Because I’m going to take my brother, and he likes those movies.
−
|| ‘Cuz I’m gonna take my brother, an’ he likes those movies.
+
| ‘Cuz I’m gonna take my brother, an’ he likes those movies.
 +
|- bgcolor=grey
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
||
+
| 7
−
||
+
| So what are you going to do?
−
||
+
| So whaddaya gonna do?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 7
+
| 8
−
|| So what are you going to do?  
+
| So what do you want to do?
−
|| So whaddaya gonna do?
+
| So whaddaya wanna do? /  So whatcha wanna do?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 8
+
| 9
−
|| So what do you want to do?
+
| I want to go to bed.
−
|| So whaddaya wanna do? /
+
| I wanna go to bed.
−
 
 
−
So whatcha wanna do?
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 9
+
| 10
−
|| I want to go to bed.  
+
| My tooth is going to drive me crazy. It has to come out.
−
|| I wanna go to bed.
+
| My tooth’s gonna drive me crazy. It hasta come out.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 10
+
| 11
−
|| My tooth is going to drive me crazy. It has to come out.
+
| Then you’ve got to make an appointment with a dentist.
−
|| My tooth’s gonna drive me crazy. It hasta come out.
+
| Then you (‘ve) gotta make an appointment with a dentist.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 11
+
| 12
−
|| Then you’ve got to make an appointment with a dentist.
+
| I’ve got to find one first. I don’t know any dentists.
−
|| Then you (‘ve) gotta make an appointment with a dentist.
+
| I (‘ve) gotta find one first. I dunno any dentists.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 12
+
| 13
−
|| I’ve got to find one first. I don’t know any dentists.
+
| I have to go downtown. Come on, I’ll take you to a good dentist.
−
|| I (‘ve) gotta find one first. I dunno any dentists.
+
| I hafta go downtown. C’mon, I’ll take ya to a good dentist.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 13
+
| 14
−
|| I have to go downtown. Come on, I’ll take you to a good dentist.
+
| Good, because I also have to go downtown so I can go to the bank.
−
|| I hafta go downtown. C’mon, I’ll take ya to a good dentist.
+
| Good, ‘cuz I also hafta go downtown so I c’n go to the bank.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 14
+
| 15
−
|| Good, because I also have to go downtown so I can go to the bank.
+
| Do you want to come with me?
−
|| Good, ‘cuz I also hafta go downtown so I c’n go to the bank.
+
| Do ya wanna come with me? / Wanna come with me?
 +
|- bgcolor=grey
 +
|  
 +
|  
 +
|  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 15
+
| 16
−
|| Do you want to come with me?
+
| Oh, no! We should have been at their house at a quarter of seven. [ = a quarter till seven]
−
|| Do ya wanna come with me? /
+
| Oh, no! We shoulda been at their house at a quarter o’ seven.
−
 
 
−
Wanna come with me?
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
||
+
| 17
−
||
+
| Well, you could have gotten directions. That would have helped.
−
||
+
| Well, you coulda gotten directions. That woulda helped.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 16
+
| 18
−
|| Oh, no! We should have been at their house at a quarter of seven. [ = a quarter till seven]
+
| Yes, I must have been crazy to try to find their house out here.
−
|| Oh, no! We shoulda been at their house at a quarter o’ seven.
+
| Yeah, I musta been crazy to try to find their house out here.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 17
+
| 19
−
|| Well, you could have gotten directions. That would have helped.
+
| Wait. I think there may have been a gas station back there.
−
|| Well, you coulda gotten directions. That woulda helped.
+
| Wait, I think there maya been a gas sation back there.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 18
+
| 20
−
|| Yes, I must have been crazy to try to find their house out here.
+
| It might have been back a mile or so.
−
|| Yeah, I musta been crazy to try to find their house out here.
+
| It mighta been back a mile er so.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 19
+
| 21
−
|| Wait. I think there may have been a gas station back there.
+
| I don’t know. I think I would have seen it.
−
|| Wait, I think there maya been a gas sation back there.
+
| I dunno. I think I woulda seen it.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 20
+
| 22
−
|| It might have been back a mile or so.
+
| You might have missed it while we were talking.
−
|| It mighta been back a mile er so.
+
| Ya mighta missed it while we were talking.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 21
+
| 23
−
|| I don’t know. I think I would have seen it.
+
| You’re probably right. If I had seen it, we could have stopped and asked directions to their house.
−
|| I dunno. I think I woulda seen it.
+
| Yer prob’bly right. If I’d seen it, we coulda stopped an’ asked directions to their house.
 +
|- bgcolor=grey
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 22
+
| 24
−
|| You might have missed it while we were talking.
+
| What are you doing back here?
−
|| Ya mighta missed it while we were talking.
+
| Whatcha doin’ back here?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 23
+
| 25
−
|| You’re probably right. If I had seen it, we could have stopped and asked directions to their house.
+
| I’m doing what you told me to do.
−
|| Yer prob’bly right. If I’d seen it, we coulda stopped an’ asked directions to their house.
+
| I’m doin’ whatcha told me to do.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
||  
+
| 26
−
||  
+
| What do you plan to do when you finish?
−
||  
+
| Whatcha plan to do when ya finish?
 +
|- bgcolor=grey
 +
|  
 +
|
 +
|  
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 24
+
| 27
−
|| What are you doing back here?  
+
| Could you put in some regular gas?  
−
|| Whatcha doin’ back here?
+
| Couldja put in some regular gas?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 25
+
| 28
−
|| I’m doing what you told me to do.
+
| Would you like me to check under the hood?
−
|| I’m doin’ whatcha told me to do.
+
| Wouldja like me to check under the hood?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 26
+
| 29
−
|| What do you plan to do when you finish?  
+
| How much air should your tires have?
−
|| Whatcha plan to do when ya finish?
+
| How much air shouldjer tires have?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
||
+
| 30
−
||
+
| Did you say it’s leaking oil?
−
||
+
| Didja say it’s leakin’ oil?
−
|-
+
|- bgcolor=grey
−
|| 27
+
|
−
|| Could you put in some regular gas?
+
|
−
|| Couldja put in some regular gas?
+
|
−
|-
 
−
|| 28
 
−
|| Would you like me to check under the hood?
 
−
|| Wouldja like me to check under the hood?
 
−
|-
 
−
|| 29
 
−
|| How much air should your tires have?
 
−
|| How much air shouldjer tires have?
 
−
|-
 
−
|| 30
 
−
|| Did you say it’s leaking oil?
 
−
|| Didja say it’s leakin’ oil?
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
||
+
| 31
−
||
+
| What did you say?
−
||
+
| What didja say? Whadja say?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 31
+
| 32
−
|| What did you say?  
+
| Did you say something?  
−
|| What didja say? Whadja say?
+
| Didja say something? Dja say somethin’?
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 32
+
| 33
−
|| Did you say something?
+
| I bet you he’ll catch your cold.
−
|| Didja say something? Dja say somethin’?
+
| I betcha (h)e’ll catch yer cold.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 33
+
| 34
−
|| I bet you he’ll catch your cold.
+
| You’re sick, aren’t you
−
|| I betcha (h)e’ll catch yer cold.
+
| I betcha he’ll catch yer cold.
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| 34
+
| 35
−
|| You’re sick, aren’t you
+
| Don’t you know you should stay at home?
−
|| I betcha he’ll catch yer cold.
+
| Doncha know ya should stay at home?
−
|-
 
−
|| 35
 
−
|| Don’t you know you should stay at home?
 
−
|| Doncha know ya should stay at home?
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 327: Line 367:
 
Note the following words that might sound just like contractions.  
 
Note the following words that might sound just like contractions.  
  
−
 
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
 
+
|-
−
{|  
+
|class="superheader"| Contraction  &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 +
|class="superheader"| Homophone    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 +
|-
 +
| I’ll    || aisle, isle
 +
|-
 +
| you’re || your
 +
|-
 +
| you’ll || yule
 +
|-
 +
| he’ll  || heel, heal; hill 
 +
|-
 +
| he’d  || heed
 +
|-
 +
| we’ll  || will, weal
 +
|-
 +
| we’ve || weave
 +
|-
 +
| they’re || their, there
 +
|-
 +
| who'd || hood 
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| '''Contraction'''
+
| who’s || whose
−
|| '''Homophone'''
+
|-
 +
| where’s || wares, wears
 +
|-
 +
|where’re (where are) || wear, where, wearer 
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|| I’ll
+
| why’s (why is) || wise
−
 
+
|-
−
you’re
+
| why’re (why are) || wire
−
 
+
|-
−
you’ll
+
| why’d (why would / did) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; || wide
−
 
+
|-
−
he’ll
+
| why’ll (why will) || while
−
 
+
|-
−
he’d
+
| how’s || house (verb /hauz/) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
−
 
+
|-
−
we’ll
+
| how’ll (how will) || howl
−
 
 
−
we’ve
 
−
 
 
−
they’re
 
−
 
 
−
who’s
 
−
 
 
−
where’s
 
−
 
 
−
where’re (where are)
 
−
 
 
−
why’s (why is)
 
−
 
 
−
why’re (why are)
 
−
 
 
−
why’d (why would / did)
 
−
 
 
−
why’ll (why will)
 
−
 
 
−
how’s  
 
−
 
 
−
how’ll (how will)
 
−
|| aisle, isle
 
−
 
 
−
your
 
−
 
 
−
yule
 
−
 
 
−
heel, hill
 
−
 
 
−
heed
 
−
 
 
−
will, weal
 
−
 
 
−
weave
 
−
 
 
−
their, there
 
−
 
 
−
whose
 
−
 
 
−
wears
 
−
 
 
−
wearer
 
−
 
 
−
wise
 
−
 
 
−
wire
 
−
 
 
−
wide
 
−
 
 
−
while
 
−
 
 
−
house (verb /hauz/)
 
−
 
 
−
howl  
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
−
[[Category:Phonology]] [[Category:Morphophonology]] [[Category:Prosody]]
+
 
 +
[[Category:Phonology]] [[Category:Morphophonology]] [[Category:Morphology]] [[Category:Prosody]]

Latest revision as of 10:12, 22 November 2019

The following are colloquial and fast speech phenomena that result from consonant assimilation (blending) and vowel reduction.


1 Pronoun contractions

formal colloquial & fast speech    
you

your

them

ya /yə/

yer /yər/

‘em

what do whadda
what do you

what are you

whaddaya
what are you

what (do) you

whacha
verb + pronoun:            

-d + you

-d + your

-t + you(r)

would you → wouldja

would your → wouldjer

don’t you → don’tcha

let me

give me

bet you

got you

got your

lemme

gimme

betcha

gotcha

got yer /gɔtʃər/


'Bet you' = 'I suppose, believe; I reason, assume, posit'. 'Gotcha' also = 'okay, understood' ('got you' = 'got your meaning, understood') as well as its more literal senses (I have got / caught you'). Also, /h/ is often deleted in pronouns like he, him, her, e.g.:

  • get ‘er = get her
  • get ‘im = get him.


2 Contractions with main verbs or semi-modals

colloquial formal / standard
dunno (I) don't know
gimme give me
gonna going to (immediate future)
gotta (have) got to (i.e., need to, have to)
gotta got a (i.e., I have a/an __)
lemme let me
wanna want to
wanna want a (e.g., I want a coffee)


3 Other word classes

colloquial formal / standard
kinda kind of = slightly, somewhat, e.g., It's kinda cold
(Less often, 'sorta' has a similar meaning.)
outta out of


4 Gonna

The immediate future gonna evolved from going to in early modern English. From the literal physical meaning of going to + place, it developed a purpose meaning ('going in order to do something'), which then developed into an immediate future sense. It differs from the normal future in these ways:

  1. It is more colloquial or informal, e.g., I'm gonna go shopping is more informal than I'm going to go shopping, which in turn is more informal than I will go shopping.
  2. In the first person, it often has a sense of intention: I'm gonna go shopping can imply the speaker's intention to do so.
  3. Gonna denotes immediate future, e.g., something that the speaker expects will happen in the relatively near or immediate future, or that the speaker intends to do in the immediate future. Will could be in the less immediate or more remote future.

Note: Some English learners may mistakenly say I'm gonna to go, not realizing that this is awkward, since gonna is a contraction of going to.


5 Modal and auxiliary verb contractions

The perfect tense auxiliary have often contracts to /əv/ or ‘ve, sometimes written very informally as of, e.g., “I should of gone” = “I should’ve gone.” Pronouns with the perfect tense auxiliary have often contract together, e.g., “I’ve, you’ve, we’ve.” With modal verbs, have can contract even more like so:

formal colloquial & fast speech
should have (+ past participle)    

could have

would have

must have

may have

might have

shoulda (+ past participle)    

coulda

woulda

musta

maya

mighta

going to (+ verb)

want to

(have) got to

have to

has to

gonna (immediate future)

wanna

gotta

hafta

hasta

don’t know

can

dunno

/kən/

I'mma I'm going to (dialectal)
innit? (British English} isn't it?


While can is often reduced to a very short /kən/ (something like “I c’n do it”), the negative can’t does not reduce, but keeps a full vowel and regular syllable length: /kænt/. This in fact is the best clue for distinguishing them when listening.

  • can /kæn/ → /kən/ (very short)
  • can’t /kænt/ (normal length, full vowel)


The verb ain’t was originally contracted from I am not centuries ago, but has become a general purpose negative verb in various dialects in the U.S and the U.K. – as a main verb or auxiliary, for first person (“I”) or any subject. The -ing ending of verbs often reduces to –in’ /ɪn/, as in doin’, goin’, swimmin’, etc.

  • I ain’t the one. You ain’t it. He ain’t it. (main verb)
  • We ain’t the ones. They ain’t the ones. (main verb}
  • I ain’t goin’. He ain’t gonna go. {semi-modal verb])
  • I ain’t gone yet. (negative for perfect / past tense)

6 Examples

1 What do you think? Whaddaya think?
2 What do you do after school? Whaddaya do after school?
3 What are you doing right now? Whaddaya doin’ right now?
4 I’m going to go see a Star Trek movie. I’m gonna go see a Star Trek movie.
5 Why are you going to see that? Why’re you gonna go see that?
6 Because I’m going to take my brother, and he likes those movies. ‘Cuz I’m gonna take my brother, an’ he likes those movies.
7 So what are you going to do? So whaddaya gonna do?
8 So what do you want to do? So whaddaya wanna do? / So whatcha wanna do?
9 I want to go to bed. I wanna go to bed.
10 My tooth is going to drive me crazy. It has to come out. My tooth’s gonna drive me crazy. It hasta come out.
11 Then you’ve got to make an appointment with a dentist. Then you (‘ve) gotta make an appointment with a dentist.
12 I’ve got to find one first. I don’t know any dentists. I (‘ve) gotta find one first. I dunno any dentists.
13 I have to go downtown. Come on, I’ll take you to a good dentist. I hafta go downtown. C’mon, I’ll take ya to a good dentist.
14 Good, because I also have to go downtown so I can go to the bank. Good, ‘cuz I also hafta go downtown so I c’n go to the bank.
15 Do you want to come with me? Do ya wanna come with me? / Wanna come with me?
16 Oh, no! We should have been at their house at a quarter of seven. [ = a quarter till seven] Oh, no! We shoulda been at their house at a quarter o’ seven.
17 Well, you could have gotten directions. That would have helped. Well, you coulda gotten directions. That woulda helped.
18 Yes, I must have been crazy to try to find their house out here. Yeah, I musta been crazy to try to find their house out here.
19 Wait. I think there may have been a gas station back there. Wait, I think there maya been a gas sation back there.
20 It might have been back a mile or so. It mighta been back a mile er so.
21 I don’t know. I think I would have seen it. I dunno. I think I woulda seen it.
22 You might have missed it while we were talking. Ya mighta missed it while we were talking.
23 You’re probably right. If I had seen it, we could have stopped and asked directions to their house. Yer prob’bly right. If I’d seen it, we coulda stopped an’ asked directions to their house.
24 What are you doing back here? Whatcha doin’ back here?
25 I’m doing what you told me to do. I’m doin’ whatcha told me to do.
26 What do you plan to do when you finish? Whatcha plan to do when ya finish?
27 Could you put in some regular gas? Couldja put in some regular gas?
28 Would you like me to check under the hood? Wouldja like me to check under the hood?
29 How much air should your tires have? How much air shouldjer tires have?
30 Did you say it’s leaking oil? Didja say it’s leakin’ oil?
31 What did you say? What didja say? Whadja say?
32 Did you say something? Didja say something? Dja say somethin’?
33 I bet you he’ll catch your cold. I betcha (h)e’ll catch yer cold.
34 You’re sick, aren’t you I betcha he’ll catch yer cold.
35 Don’t you know you should stay at home? Doncha know ya should stay at home?


6.1 Homophones

Note the following words that might sound just like contractions.

Contraction             Homophone            
I’ll aisle, isle
you’re your
you’ll yule
he’ll heel, heal; hill
he’d heed
we’ll will, weal
we’ve weave
they’re their, there
who'd hood
who’s whose
where’s wares, wears
where’re (where are) wear, where, wearer
why’s (why is) wise
why’re (why are) wire
why’d (why would / did)         wide
why’ll (why will) while
how’s house (verb /hauz/)        
how’ll (how will) howl
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