# A lot! One word or two words. (Alot of words?!) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127 "2012-03-29T06:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/41 "2012-03-29T18:30:30Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I just realized that one reason it hasn’t “fused” as a written convention, is because it is still parsed by English speakers as a divisible phrase: we can say “ **a whole lot** ”. You mean like “ **a whole nother** ”? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/42 "2012-03-29T18:30:31Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > There are a lot of dictionary entries defining two words. For example, _pot pie_ or _prepositional phrase_. Exactly. OP’s friend is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/43 "2012-03-29T18:44:34Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I think everyone is still missing what the OP is asking… > > Both he and his friend concede that the spelling is “a lot”. > > The question is, because it is listed in the dictionary as a single entry, does that mean “a lot” (written that way, not ‘a lot’ vs ‘alot’) is one word or two? Uh, not me. 😉 See above for my posts on the two meanings of the word “word”. Comments welcome! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/44 "2012-03-29T18:48:45Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Uh, not me. 😉 See above for my posts on the two meanings of the word “word”. Comments welcome! You’re right. I should have qualified my “everyone”! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/45 "2012-03-29T18:56:58Z")
> [@Spectralist](#): > > That’s pretty much my thoughts on it too. “Alot” is one word and means the same thing as “a lot” which is two. Nope. > [@Don\_Quixotic](#): > > I think that there is a two-word noun usage and a one-word adverbial usage. I use the phrase like this: 1) A lot of people read The Straight Dope. 2) I read The Straight Dope alot. Your thinking is wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/46 "2012-03-29T18:57:42Z")
A whole lot is too much, too much is a whole lot, same thing. -Chico Marx ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/47 "2012-03-29T18:58:36Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > You mean like “ **a whole nother** ”? 🙂 That’s a colloquialism, and as such, informal, probably regional, and subject to raised eyebrows in certain circumstances. If I consult my druthers, I’ll find your argument invalid. “A lot” can’t be compared to “cannot”, because the ‘a’ is an article, referring to a non-specific amount of one, like ‘a poster’ as compared to '_the_ poster. It’s both possible and cromulent to refer to “the lot” or “a lot”, the former being specific (“I’ll take the lot.”), and the latter non-specific (“that’s a lot of hooey.”) Cannot is unusual in that there are no matches in similar negative verbs - do not, shall not, will not, am not. RandomHouse Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary lists “cannot” simply as a form of “can not”, but one that has become, by far, the dominant usage. All this occurred in when spelling and orthography were still fluid. These days, only neologisms get a period of flexibility when popular usage determines the end form. “Email” left “electronic mail” behind a long time ago. Then it was a battle between “e-mail” and “email”. I think only some publications style and usage guides (_Chicago Tribune_?) use e-mail, and that will almost certainly change the next time they update. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/48 "2012-03-29T19:02:27Z")
“A lot” simply cannot, whatsoever, become a single word; common acceptance of other word combinations notwithstanding. Nevertheless, someone may ask why it should be besmirched, altogether, however still be met with strong opposition even if armed with the proper grammatical wherewithal. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/49 "2012-03-29T19:06:59Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > You’re right. I should have qualified my “everyone”! Like, by saying instead “a lot of posters”…? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/50 "2012-03-29T19:09:30Z")
> [@Don\_Quixotic](#): > > I think that there is a two-word noun usage and a one-word adverbial usage. I use the phrase like this: 1) A lot of people read The Straight Dope. 2) I read The Straight Dope alot. It doesn’t work like that, but if it did, wouldn’t it be the adverbial usage that would be two words, by analogy with “everyday/every day”? I read The Straight Dope every day; it’s an everyday activity. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/51 "2012-03-29T19:14:17Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Like, by saying instead “a lot of posters”…? 🙂 I like our (apparently private) conversation a lot better than the one a lot of the other posters appear to be having. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/52 "2012-03-29T19:20:44Z")
Spelling “a lot” as “alot” is like spelling “a bunch” as “abunch” - they should be separate words (and, if you aren’t sure, spell check underlines both of the erroneous spellings here). Then of course there is the world “allot”, which is something else entirely different and never was two separate words ([which may be the source of confusion](http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/alot.html)). ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/53 "2012-03-29T19:20:54Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > “A lot” simply cannot, whatsoever, become a single word; common acceptance of other word combinations notwithstanding. Nevertheless, someone may ask why it should be besmirched, altogether, however still be met with strong opposition even if armed with the proper grammatical wherewithal. > > Whatever. I like you, a lot, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter, newspaper, or any one of the aforementioned publications. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/54 "2012-03-29T20:03:16Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > Then of course there is the world “allot”, which is something else entirely different and never was two separate words ([which may be the source of confusion](http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/alot.html)). Well, they’re not THAT different – “[allot](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=allot)” and “a lot” have the same origin, going not that far back at all (atall?). EllenCherry…funny! IvoryTowerDenizen…I hear you! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/55 "2012-03-30T02:54:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > It doesn’t work like that, but if it did, wouldn’t it be the adverbial usage that would be two words, by analogy with “everyday/every day”? I read The Straight Dope every day; it’s an everyday activity. Oh, Jesus, that’s a big bugbear with me. The Thais have arbitrarily decided it’s “everyday” in every single instance no matter what. Even British chains like Lotus proudly proclaim on their large signs: “We’re open everyday.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/56 "2012-03-30T05:31:12Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > There are a lot of dictionary entries defining two words. For example, _pot pie_ or _prepositional phrase_. And all of those are one word, as they have a single meaning. If two words are put together and have a single meaning, they have become a single word. Yes, even if that word is separable. I don’t understand why so many people are insisting on the more popular definition of “word” rather than the linguistic one. Normally this is the place where everyone says popular usage is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/57 "2012-03-30T11:52:40Z")
Eh, no reason the word “word” can’t have more than one meaning. The “thing we happen to set off by spaces” definition has its uses, too…such as, when we are teaching a child how to write. There are few situations where the intended meaning of “word” is ambiguous, and even fewer where this matters. The semantic scuffle which inspired the OP to start this thread in the first place is only that. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/58 "2012-03-30T12:01:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And all of those are one word, as they have a single meaning. If two words are put together and have a single meaning, they have become a single word. Yes, even if that word is separable. > > I don’t understand why so many people are insisting on the more popular definition of “word” rather than the linguistic one. I’d like to see a cite/link to this linguistic definition of “word” you’re referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/59 "2012-03-30T12:05:02Z")
One, because we rarely see the word broken up and no one thinks of the bits as syntactically separate. You hear the phrase “a whole lot” about as often as “a whole other/nother”, and the word isn’t broken up except for that. But of course the truth is slightly greyer than is/isn’t two words. As a rule, most categorization schemas are messy and words/not words are no exception. “A lot” has most characteristics of a single word and is lacking others. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127/60 "2012-03-30T14:34:42Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’d like to see a cite/link to this linguistic definition of “word” you’re referring to. “\*\*Word. \*\* A unit of expression which native speakers intuitively recognize in both spoken and written language. The usual criterion..is that suggested by Leonard Bloomfield, who defined word as a ‘minimal free form’. I say ‘usual’ because there are still difficulties in arriving at a consistent use of the term… …The most satisfactory criteria for word identification are syntactic… …This still leaves problems, however. What do we do about fused words like _can’t_, _isn’t_, or _dunno_..? And what about small words such as _a_ or _the_ which are usually found tied to nouns…? All of this suggests there is a certain indeterminacy about the definition of a word.” – Geoffrey Finch. 2000. \*Linguistic Terms and Concepts. Pages \*132-133. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lot-one-word-or-two-words-alot-of-words/617127.md?page=4)