F Murtz wrote:
>
> JL wrote:
> > On Mar 15, 12:40 am, Lars Chance<lars.cha...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> It would behoove you to find out if it's an oil-pressure or oil-level
light.
> >> P'raps you're running too heavy oil (i.e. too high viscosity index
> >> number). That can cause trouble.
> >> --
> >> Elsie.
> >> (Behoove would mean "add hooves to ..." right?)
> >
> > Given you've made the word up I guess it can mean what ever you would
> > like it to...
> >
> > Correct word (based on context) below
> >
> > http://fat.ly/iabhr
> >
> > JL
> depends where you are from.
>
> oxford compendium.
> behove // v.tr. (US behoove //) (prec. by it as subject; foll. by to +
> infin.) formal
> 1 be incumbent on.
> 2 (usu. with neg.) befit (ill behoves him to protest).
> [Old English behofian from behof: see behoof]
>
> Although in an australian group it would be better to speak English not
> American,but we still understand them.
>
>
Anglicised word goes back to at least the 10th-12th century A.D. Both
forms (behove, behoove) appear in English texts. The earler behoif
overlaps.
Two things to take into account:
1/ English spelling was largely at the whim of the scribe until well into
the 17th century at least; e.g.: Shakespeare's name appears in some
strange variations, including 'Shagspeen' and
2/ many American words that are blamed on Webster & his dictionary, can
possibly be traced all the way back to an old English spelling that
emigrated with the Pilgrim Fathers and remained in use in law, commerce
and the Church.
In a similar way, a lot (far from all) of our Australian vernacular has
its origins in our convict and later multinational past. Things are very
slow to change when it takes months to go to or from a foreign country.
Cheers
--
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