Don't let's

[Benjamin Barrett]

As far as I can tell, it seems to be akin to doubling up modals, similar
to saying "I must should". (I know people use that in some dialects, but
it is still seems ungrammatical for me.) BB

Baker, John wrote:
>         Can you explain why it is ungrammatical?  It isn't something I
> would say (I don't recall seeing the collocation before I came across
> the title "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight"), but surely "don't
> let's" is just an abbreviation for "do not let us," which seems to me
> perfectly grammatical.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of Benjamin Barrett
> Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 4:33 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Don't let's
>
> I'm sorry, but I did not say I'm uncomfortable with it. I said it is
> ungrammatical. Perhaps it fits into a chronolect as you say, but as far
> as I can tell, it is not a comfort issue for me, it is simply
> grammatically unacceptable.
>
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