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Subject:Re: Already vs. All Ready From:Scott McClare <smcclare -at- DY4 -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 18 Dec 1998 10:07:29 -0500
> -----Original Message-----
> From: McCreash, Toni Lee [SMTP:mccreash -at- SCN -dot- SPAWAR -dot- NAVY -dot- MIL]
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 9:50 AM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Already vs. All Ready
>
>Is "Already" the colloquial version of "All Ready"?
That's where the word came from, but they don't mean the same thing.
"Already" means "before the time in question," as in:
* Thanks for telling me what I already know.
* They tried to beat the boss to work, but he was
already there when they arrived.
"All ready" means more or less exactly what it says: completely ready.
"Already" is an adverb describing time; "all ready" is a predicative
adjective describing a state of completeness.
However, "already" as in "Shut up already!" *is* a colloquialism. 8-)
Take care,
Scott
--
Scott McClare - Technical Writer
DY 4 Systems Inc., Kanata, Ontario, Canada
(613) 599-9199 x502 smcclare -at- dy4 -dot- com
Opinions are my own
