Anymore as positive

[SternWake]

Seems American English is changing.  

The use of the word 'anymore'  to me, was always used in the negative.

For example:

'I don't chronically undercharge my batteries at all anymore.'

For the last couple years, I have been seeing it written in use as a positive,  but not heard so much in speech.

For example.

 'I make sure my batteries are indeed fully charged regularly anymore.'

It does not sound right to my ears in the positive.

I was going to go as far as saying it was the wrong use of the word, fill myself with righteous indignation, make up signs, start marching, chanting and protesting the improper use of this word, somewhere. 

Agree with me, or be mocked mercilessly until you cry!!

But then I  searched, and low and behold Merriam Webster says that the use of Anymore in the positive is not improper, and has been spreading, and the only holdouts in its widespread use in America are in New England.

But it still sounds wrong to me.

And my opinions are indeed considered facts, anymore



See what I did there.  It does not sound right,

To me.

How about you?

If it does sound right to you, does its use in the negative sound improper?

 

[TMG51]

I don't think I've ever heard that before. And if I did hear that spoken, I'd likely immediately believe that the author of the sentence had some form of learning disorder, or had eaten a lot of paint chips as a child. But I'm from New England.

 

[SternWake]

Although it’s not a good idea to use the positive anymore in your formal writing, you should know that it’s not a grammar mistake; it’s a regionalism. The Oxford English Dictionary labels positive anymore as a feature of Irish English, and has its earliest citation from 1898 in Northern Ireland. It also tags positive anymore as colloquial American English, and according to the Yale Grammatical Diversity Project’s webpage on positive anymore, positive anymore is most common in the Midwest. There’s also a small pocket of positive anymore speakers in Arizona.

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/writing/the-positive-anymore?page=1

I was going to blame Dubya.
Paint chips indeed.

 

[speedhighway46]

Nice to see some comments about proper English here! However, it is getting more compromisd as time goes on both in spoken and written forms. "Lazy English" is also being accepted more in society because it is trendy and no longer an indicator of reduced intelligence.

Sources causing this trend: less educated people reaching critical mass; spell checkers on smart phones; Rap Music; reality shows on television; etc.

Just my opinion . . .

 

[TMG51]

Nice to see some comments about proper English here! However, it is getting more compromisd as time goes on both in spoken and written forms. "Lazy English" is also being accepted more in society because it is trendy and no longer an indicator of reduced intelligence.

Sources causing this trend: less educated people reaching critical mass; spell checkers on smart phones; Rap Music; reality shows on television; etc.

Just my opinion . . .

Coming from one of the millennial generation, I agree. I feel I'll transition rather smoothly into life as a curmudgeonly old man.

 

[mayble]

I agree.
It's particularly odd to see/hear it at the beginning of a sentence, as in "Anymore, I like to keep my widgets in a jar".

 

[Mobilesport]

It doesn't sound right to me , plus i don't like it but if i were to
hear it i would eccept it because i understood what they meant by it.
One thing i noticed after going to electronics school was that my spelling went
down hill , it went down hill because the books were so thick they had to abbreviate alot of word/terms.
For example in a auto techs book i always read (TBI) instead of the full ( throttle body injection ) 
Over the years of reading tech books i didn't see words much , just
PCM
ECM
TBI
MPFI
ETC ETC.
then the next thing i know its hard for me to spell some words.

 

[ArtW]

I just talk however I feel like anymore
I have read some books that are set in certain areas of the US that do use anymore in that context and sometimes I slip into that because I think it's sort of funny

 

[ArtW]

besides, I'm part Irish 

 

[highdesertranger]

I will not use anymore, anymore. oopsie. highdesertranger

 

[Phantom Blooper]

Anymore- Travis Tritt

I can't hide the way I feel about you anymore.
I can't hold the hurt inside, keep the pain out of my eyes anymore.
My tears no longer waiting.
My resistance ain't that strong.
My mind keeps recreating a love with you alone
And I'm tired of pretending
I don't love you anymore.
Let me make one last appeal
To show you how I feel about you. Mm hm.
'Cause there's no one else I swear holds a candle anywhere
Next to you. Mm hm
My heart can't take the beating
Not having you to hold.
A small voice keeps repeating
Deep inside my soul.
It says I can't keep pretending
I don't love you anymore.
I've got to take the chance or let it pass by
If I expect to get on with my life.
My tears no longer waiting.
Oh my resistance ain't that strong.
Oh my mind keeps recreating
A love with you alone.
And I'm tired of pretending
I don't love you anymore.
Anymore
Anymore

Songwriters
JILL COLUCCI, TRAVIS TRITT

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

 

[GotSmart]

The only version of that word was when we were asked if we wanted any more of something.  

Being a military raised brat, we did not need qualifiers.  

Don't do that.  End of statement.  Do not even try to argue about what used to be done.    :exclamation:

 

[DannyB1954]

Depends on the context really. I don't use tobacco products anymore, would seem to be a positive thing. As I get older I don't drive recklessly anymore. I don't eat junk food anymore. I don't expect others to bring me happiness anymore. I don't try to manipulate others by telling them what to, or not say anymore.

Anymore denotes a change. It could be for the better, or worst.

 

[TMG51]

Depends on the context really. I don't use tobacco products anymore, would seem to be a positive thing. As I get older I don't drive recklessly anymore. I don't eat junk food anymore. I don't expect others to bring me happiness anymore. I don't try to manipulate others by telling them what to, or not say anymore.

Anymore denotes a change. It could be for the better, or worst.

Now we're getting into semantics. You may be describing good things, but those are all in the "negative" grammatically. For example, the positive of your first would be "I do use tobacco products anymore."

It still sounds wrong to me. I'm going to go drink expensive beer until I'm no longer perturbed.

 

[MikeRuth]

Diggin the thread, be interesting to see if there are ANYMORE comments. Oh man I just had to.

 

[SternWake]

Diggin the thread, be interesting to see if there are ANYMORE comments. Oh man I just had to.

Would not the correct use  in that context be 'interesting to see if there are Any More comments?' Two words.

Heck, I always despised English class.  Compare and contrast this, teacher.  Grrrrrrrrrrr.

Kinda got a hankering for a good beer.  Will have to settle for some Kief instead, then go all Homer Simpson on my food supply

 

[sephson]

Nice to see some comments about proper English here!

I'm reminded of something my dad told me when I was a boy.

"Ain't ain't proper English!"

I actually have a t-shirt that does a fair job of addressing the general direction of this thread and the ongoing evolution of the English language.

"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar."

 

[Ticklebellly]

What is with the American thing of using "bring" when they mean "take"? As in "what did you bring with you when you went to Oddie's house?" Getting so bad that some are calling for subtitles on American shows when shown in proper English speaking countries. (Where are those smiley thingos?)

 

[WriterMs]

I hardly ever read sentences with that word anymore. (the hardly is a negative in this case, right?) LOL

Having been a pro writer and editor for my career (no, please don't judge my ability by what you may see here.. more LOL), I have a terrible time when I see a person referred to as a "that" instead of a "who" (or "whom"). As in "She is the woman who went to market." For years now, I've seen it switched as: "She is the woman that went to market." We were drilled that person is not an object (that).

Call me curmudgeon.

 

[GotSmart]

I'm reminded of something my dad told me when I was a boy.

"Ain't ain't proper English!"

I actually have a t-shirt that does a fair job of addressing the general direction of this thread and the ongoing evolution of the English language.

"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over and goes through their pockets for loose grammar."

We do not speak "English" we speak "American"