Hi, I have always used "provided " as the correct form. But after researching on line, I believe both are coorect. Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.

A few days ago, I told a girl that I wanted to make out with her. I hope that she did not take it to mean something different from what I meant. "Make out with" refers to (possibly deep) kissing, hugging, caressing, etc., right? It does

Thanks! ObAUE (what, in THIS thread?): Would there be subtle ... American, I mean.) How about "Ta (very much)". Northern, innit? 'Ta very much' will do very nicely, and is used in the Midlands, too. Well, I confess that about all

A friend of mine (a fellow Detroiter) was in a ... the old fish eye, and said, "You mean HOME FRIES?!" ?? I've never heard of American fries, and I'm American. Or do they only exist in Canada? I don't understand \\P.'s

couldn't Because a black person reacting with visible terror in response to unexplained phenomena attributed to ghosts (popularly called "spooks") was a stock character in comic strips and film comedies in the early to mid-20th

Donna: I'm going to look into the history of "folks" a bit more and see if it can be traced to any particular regions. I've always figured it was a general American, if not British, colloquialism. Does *anyone* *anywhere* use it

Sockless hop (dance) I had always associated a "hop" as centered around the rock and roll swing dance era (1950s), extending a decade or so before or after. But I see it was solidly in use in the mid 1800s. Earlier Ben Zimmer reported on

Question 3: Two Americans "meet" in an internet chat room. One writes something which makes the other sure that they both live in the same city. In fact the cities they live in don't even share the same name. What are they? (Question

Question 3: Two Americans "meet" in an internet chat room. One writes something which makes the other sure that they both live in the same city. In fact the cities they live in don't even share the same name. What are they? (Question

Question 3: Two Americans "meet" in an internet chat room. One writes something which makes the other sure that they both live in the same city. In fact the cities they live in don't even share the same name. What are they? (Question