ほんと？

[tanuki]

Hello, people!

Some time ago, I saw ほんと written where it should have been ほんとう or 本当. It was in a chat dialogue and it was on response to something that the person didn't quite believe. (Like: "I am the son of the President" "ほんと？")

At first, I thought it was a typo, but then I saw this ほんと used in the same way many times. So, now I don't think it's a typo, but I'm not sure of what it is...

I've just seen it used in chat situations, so I think it's maybe just some contraction? Is it used often, in which situations?

Thanks in advance for your replies, bye!

[Justin]

It's pretty much just a slightly shortened version of the full ほんとう, giving things a bit more abrubt, suprised feeling...or so I think. Like you said, it's something fairly informal, which means you won't see it in any kind of formal writing, but when talking with your friends, and you'd like to stress how suprised you are by saying something like "really!?", then using ほんと could be a good fit.

[keatonatron]

It's just people being lazy.

[kanadajin]

It's just people being lazy.

ほんと？ hehe..

[Ongakuka]

That's nonsens. Why would anyon be lazy enough to leav the う off 本当？

[AJBryant]

Why would people type "U" instead of "you"? Why would people type "thru" instead of "through"? Why would people type "BRB" instead of "be right back"?

Cause it's quicker, and they're lazy or in a hurry. And maybe idiots.


Tony

[Justin]

I guess I stand corrected then.

I always thought it was a way stress the suprise factor a bit more, just like how when you speak, and that last "u" sound gets cut off a bit when you're really surprised. Guess I was mistaken though.

[paul_b]

It's casual, but I wouldn't call it people being lazy. They actually say it that way and it has its own dictionary entry.

[kanadajin]

Why would people type "U" instead of "you"? Why would people type "thru" instead of "through"? Why would people type "BRB" instead of "be right back"?

or Lol instead of haha..

[chikara]

AJBryant wrote:
Why would people type "U" instead of "you"? Why would people type "thru" instead of "through"? Why would people type "BRB" instead of "be right back"?

Cause it's quicker, and they're lazy or in a hurry. And maybe idiots.


Tony

I use thru' all the time but always with an apostrophe to indicate that it is a contraction. I guess that makes me an idiot

I guess writing ほんとう as ほんと is no worse than lazy idiots spelling "harbour" as "harbor" and "labour" as "labor"

[KaizokuLuffy]

chikara wrote:

AJBryant wrote:

I guess writing ほんとう as ほんと is no worse than lazy idiots spelling "harbour" as "harbor" and "labour" as "labor"

That example shows some of the nuances between American English and English (European, UK). The latter tends to use the letter 'u' a lot. You can find several example that follow that style.

[chikara]

KaizokuLuffy wrote:That example shows some of the nuances between American English and English (European, UK). The latter tends to use the letter 'u' a lot. You can find several example that follow that style.

So it was the Europeans and the British that added the "u"

Next you'll be telling me that the correct spelling of "light" is "lite" and "night" is "nite"

[tanuki]

I think he knew that.

EDIT: Oops, that was late. No, it didn't take me long to write one sentence, but I got distracted before deciding to post it.

[chikara]

tanuki wrote:
I think he knew that.

B)

[KaizokuLuffy]

Heh, darn. I should have caught the sarcasm on that one.