Does beware exist as anything other than an imperative?

[conuly]

I bewore the dog? I waswore the dog? I wasware the dog? I bewared the dog?

Comments

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

You have too many thoughts. ^_~

[conuly]

Have you ever tried to stop thinking? Or to just stop the top thoughts? It's damn hard. And as soon as you're getting somewhere, and you have some peace and quiet in your own head, the underthoughts start shouting, trying to say "look, you did it!" or "I wonder what that sound is..." or "breathe in, out, in, out" or "step. step. step. step." everywhere.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It is the most frustrating thing. Sometimes I'd rather just turn my brain off, goldarnit.

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

was wary of?

[scarletdemon.livejournal.com]

That sounds good.

[conuly]

I considered that. But then there's a question. Why don't we say "Be wary of"? Not only is it one word instead of two, but we take away the preposition. Why?

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

I think its a contraction from when old english was used.
It has that-- flavour(synaesthesia makes dialects & things have different flavours for me & I don't know what someone else might call it)
.
Perhaps it was "be 'ware of", originally.

I have, indeed, seen 'be wary of' but I think it was a scots/irish dialect thing.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

We don't? "She is wary of the hamster" "I would be wary if I had enough sense to realise what danger I'm in" "I'm wary of foods containing aspertame" "I was wary of slippers after my encounter with the slipper-monster"

Oh! I just realised what you meant. Why do we say "beware" not "be wary of" - perhaps because beware is more concise and as it's not just an imperative, but a warning, short is good.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a good possibility. That it comes from "be aware of" not "be wary of" - definitely possible.

[ahsirakh.livejournal.com]

Why don't we say "Be wary of"?

Even though we should, you mean?

Because you don't beware the dog, you beware of the dog. "Beware" thus acts as a contraction for "be wary" or "be aware".

[wakasplat.livejournal.com]

I've heard "to beware" and "can beware". As in, I need to beware of this, I can beware of that, and so forth. In fact, I just looked it up in the dictionary and it says it only takes the infinitive and imperative, which is what I suspected.

[aberrantangels]

This reminds me of a Robert Benchley piece in which he's trying to figure out what the present tense of "wrought" is. Somewhere in there, I think he comes up with "I vrouw."

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

Beware is just an imperative-- it's short for "be aware." So to discuss it any other away, you have to take about aware, though "beware" has a connotation of "wary." So yeah.

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

Haha. It's past participle of "work." How boring, eh?

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

i guess that makes sense, but then, why is beware always used as a warning, ya know? Like, one would say, "be aware of the time" and not beware of the time, whereas one would say "Be wary of the dog" as "Beware of the dog."

I have known my dear connie way to damned long. *pout*

[beetlebomb.livejournal.com]

LOL!! Don't worry, I'll be very ware!! I'll be very have too!! ANd let us not forget to be alert! The world needs more lerts. Now all I have to do is go out and find myself a round tuit!!!

Don't mind me, this post has put me in a very punny mood!!

In fact I'm up to my ears in corny puns and there's a kernel of truth in that last statement! Aw shucks!!

[l33tminion]

I figured it was a contraction of "be wary".

[pehanoie.livejournal.com]

After trying so many times, I just figured it was impossible. Like stopping the heart. You just can't do it. So I learn to live with all my thoughts. Sort of like background music.

[conuly]

Some people can stop their hearts, though.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

You have too many thoughts. ^_~

[conuly]

Have you ever tried to stop thinking? Or to just stop the top thoughts? It's damn hard. And as soon as you're getting somewhere, and you have some peace and quiet in your own head, the underthoughts start shouting, trying to say "look, you did it!" or "I wonder what that sound is..." or "breathe in, out, in, out" or "step. step. step. step." everywhere.

[ladytalon.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It is the most frustrating thing. Sometimes I'd rather just turn my brain off, goldarnit.

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

was wary of?

[scarletdemon.livejournal.com]

That sounds good.

[conuly]

I considered that. But then there's a question. Why don't we say "Be wary of"? Not only is it one word instead of two, but we take away the preposition. Why?

[ser-kai.livejournal.com]

I think its a contraction from when old english was used.
It has that-- flavour(synaesthesia makes dialects & things have different flavours for me & I don't know what someone else might call it)
.
Perhaps it was "be 'ware of", originally.

I have, indeed, seen 'be wary of' but I think it was a scots/irish dialect thing.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

We don't? "She is wary of the hamster" "I would be wary if I had enough sense to realise what danger I'm in" "I'm wary of foods containing aspertame" "I was wary of slippers after my encounter with the slipper-monster"

Oh! I just realised what you meant. Why do we say "beware" not "be wary of" - perhaps because beware is more concise and as it's not just an imperative, but a warning, short is good.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's a good possibility. That it comes from "be aware of" not "be wary of" - definitely possible.

[ahsirakh.livejournal.com]

Why don't we say "Be wary of"?

Even though we should, you mean?

Because you don't beware the dog, you beware of the dog. "Beware" thus acts as a contraction for "be wary" or "be aware".

[wakasplat.livejournal.com]

I've heard "to beware" and "can beware". As in, I need to beware of this, I can beware of that, and so forth. In fact, I just looked it up in the dictionary and it says it only takes the infinitive and imperative, which is what I suspected.

[aberrantangels]

This reminds me of a Robert Benchley piece in which he's trying to figure out what the present tense of "wrought" is. Somewhere in there, I think he comes up with "I vrouw."

[maladaptive.livejournal.com]

Beware is just an imperative-- it's short for "be aware." So to discuss it any other away, you have to take about aware, though "beware" has a connotation of "wary." So yeah.

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

Haha. It's past participle of "work." How boring, eh?

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

i guess that makes sense, but then, why is beware always used as a warning, ya know? Like, one would say, "be aware of the time" and not beware of the time, whereas one would say "Be wary of the dog" as "Beware of the dog."

I have known my dear connie way to damned long. *pout*

[beetlebomb.livejournal.com]

LOL!! Don't worry, I'll be very ware!! I'll be very have too!! ANd let us not forget to be alert! The world needs more lerts. Now all I have to do is go out and find myself a round tuit!!!

Don't mind me, this post has put me in a very punny mood!!

In fact I'm up to my ears in corny puns and there's a kernel of truth in that last statement! Aw shucks!!

[l33tminion]

I figured it was a contraction of "be wary".

[pehanoie.livejournal.com]

After trying so many times, I just figured it was impossible. Like stopping the heart. You just can't do it. So I learn to live with all my thoughts. Sort of like background music.

[conuly]

Some people can stop their hearts, though.