This is something I've been wondering for a while. You usually "wait for" something to happen, or "wait for" someone to make a move. You may also "wait on" people at a local restaurant. Either way there's a preposition following the verb "wait."
Why is it that you don't "wait for" your turn but "wait" your turn, then?
I'm sure it would be understood if I said "I'm waiting for my turn" but I've never heard it said that way - when it comes to your turn, it always seems like "wait one's turn" without "for" (or "on"). Is there a grammatical explanation for this, or is it just the way English is?
Why is it that you don't "wait for" your turn but "wait" your turn, then?
I'm sure it would be understood if I said "I'm waiting for my turn" but I've never heard it said that way - when it comes to your turn, it always seems like "wait one's turn" without "for" (or "on"). Is there a grammatical explanation for this, or is it just the way English is?
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I think it's more likely slang - 'wait yer turn, bub!'. Americans are just as keen as the Japanese to shorten the amount of words they have to say (aircon), so they start throwing out 'unnecessary' words here and there. 'Wait for your turn' is more correct, IMHO.
Questions that come to my mind - Isn't it? Isn't is, well, 'Is not'. So when somebody says 'isn't it true?', if you said out the long form, 'is not it true?', it doesn't make sense. Properly said it would be 'is it not true?'.
Questions that come to my mind - Isn't it? Isn't is, well, 'Is not'. So when somebody says 'isn't it true?', if you said out the long form, 'is not it true?', it doesn't make sense. Properly said it would be 'is it not true?'.
Hi sevenphotos.
It may be slang, but I quite often encounter the expression in places where slang usually doesn't belong, such as non-fiction books and newspaper essays, as well as in my educated co-workers' and friends' speech. It could be different in other English-speaking countries. I'm more curious now.
As for contraction, I don't necessarily think it's wrong to say "isn't it" instead of "is it not." I mean, there's only one way to say "isn't it." :)
It may be slang, but I quite often encounter the expression in places where slang usually doesn't belong, such as non-fiction books and newspaper essays, as well as in my educated co-workers' and friends' speech. It could be different in other English-speaking countries. I'm more curious now.
As for contraction, I don't necessarily think it's wrong to say "isn't it" instead of "is it not." I mean, there's only one way to say "isn't it." :)
Hmm, I probably didn't express this properly. There is a lot of words/phrases that are indeed in popular usage, even by the most educated of people, that are not 'proper', per se. That is what I was trying to say. Wait your turn may not be proper english, but it's been used that way, for so long, that it is now common usage english. Isn't it is a form of that - I don't think that it is proper english in any way, but it has become a definite mainstay of the language through common usage.
I think what sevenphotos is very true.
"Wait for your turn", is probably the more correct and formal way to say it. But, with over time the word "for" has just become omitted from the pharse to make it shorter, just like watashi wa in japanese.
I think the general idea is still there with out having to say it.
Right, this is what I think...I hope it makes sense...
"Wait for your turn", is probably the more correct and formal way to say it. But, with over time the word "for" has just become omitted from the pharse to make it shorter, just like watashi wa in japanese.
I think the general idea is still there with out having to say it.
Right, this is what I think...I hope it makes sense...
Hi guys.
Interesting, sevenphotos. I've met quite a few prescriptive grammarians, but you're probably the first that says contraction is not "proper" English. That's not to say you're wrong. I just find it interesting. :)
I'm leaning towards what Ninja Slacker says, simply because I see/hear "wait your turn" far more often than "wait someone" or "wait something." In fact, I don't think I've ever heard a native speaker of English say "We have to wait the bus." OTOH, "We have to wait our turn" is very common. If it originated from the careless omission of "for," it would happen to both structures... or so I'd think.
Further comments are welcome. I love discussions like this. :)
Interesting, sevenphotos. I've met quite a few prescriptive grammarians, but you're probably the first that says contraction is not "proper" English. That's not to say you're wrong. I just find it interesting. :)
I'm leaning towards what Ninja Slacker says, simply because I see/hear "wait your turn" far more often than "wait someone" or "wait something." In fact, I don't think I've ever heard a native speaker of English say "We have to wait the bus." OTOH, "We have to wait our turn" is very common. If it originated from the careless omission of "for," it would happen to both structures... or so I'd think.
Further comments are welcome. I love discussions like this. :)
Slacker Ninja is most likely at least partly right - apparently this is a phrase that dates to 1393. See here: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=turn
It doesn't specifically show "wait your turn" but it does list "turn" as "an individual's time for action, when these go around in succession."
I have a feeling the original phrase was probably "await your turn", though. But await and wait can both be used as transient verbs in this same way nowadays - they are both correct in this context.
It doesn't specifically show "wait your turn" but it does list "turn" as "an individual's time for action, when these go around in succession."
I have a feeling the original phrase was probably "await your turn", though. But await and wait can both be used as transient verbs in this same way nowadays - they are both correct in this context.
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