# cannot vs. can not **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916 "2000-12-31T18:05:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/1 "2000-12-31T18:05:16Z")
Has the word “cannot” always been acceptable English? I see on the Merriam-Webster site that it has been around for a long time, but when I was learning grammar I don’t remember being told that it was an option. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/2 "2000-12-31T18:42:16Z")
I have no idea where I learned this (and it may be just something I made up) but I usually use cannot unless I really want to emphasize something (ie You can **NOT** stick that thing in my ass!) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/3 "2000-12-31T19:07:26Z")
Why type out ‘cannot’ when you can just type ‘can’t’? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/4 "2000-12-31T19:16:42Z")
“Cannot” or “can not” has more force to it than the casual “can’t”. “You cannot stick that thing in my ass” packs more of a verbal punch than, “You can’t stick that thing in my ass”. Maybe it’s the extra syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/5 "2000-12-31T19:24:40Z")
Can TOO! ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/6 "2000-12-31T19:45:10Z")
“You can NOT stick that thing in my ass”, sounds more like “I will not let you stick that thing in my ass.” Whereas, “You can’t stick that thing in my ass”, sounds more like “I bet you can’t stick that thing in my ass.” Therein lies the confusion during so many of my dates. [sub]My $.02 about ass stickin and cannots.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![annalamerino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@annalamerino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annalamerino)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/7 "2000-12-31T20:06:47Z")
Cited under “can v.[sup]1[/sup] irreg.” You should be checking the **O.E.D.** first for all date questions. That’s what it’s for. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/8 "2000-12-31T20:47:12Z")
Not all of us have at any point had enough disposable income for a multi-volume dictionary or a subscription to the online version. As far as I can tell, it costs $550 for an annual subscription. Not the sort of cash I plan on shelling out any time soon just to see how old words are. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/9 "2000-12-31T21:03:51Z")
So in other words, you cannot afford it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/10 "2000-12-31T23:42:21Z")
It looks to me as though he can NOT afford it. ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/11 "2001-01-01T00:17:41Z")
I’m pretty sure he can’t afford it. ---
**Author:** ![barstow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90db22/32.png) [@barstow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barstow)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/12 "2001-01-01T01:15:16Z")
Maybe she just knows where the library is. ---
**Author:** ![barstow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90db22/32.png) [@barstow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barstow)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cannot-vs-can-not/47916/13 "2001-01-01T01:21:33Z")
I found a reasonable substitute at [amazon.com](http://amazon.com) : Oxford American Desk Dictionary by Frank R. Abate(Editor) (Hardcover) Our Price: $12.95 Isn’t American a lot like English? 😃