On 10/31/2003 3:48 PM, another fool wrote:

> "SR" <srindler@da2.so-net.ne.jp> wrote in message news:<3fa07681$1_6@cosmos.uncensored-news.com>...
> 
>>I wonder about the expression "by and by".
>>My son's English book (Japanese high school) defines "by and by" as "pretty
>>soon". I found this one
>>in 2 dictionaries (Babylon Online) for example.
>>However, it is also defined as "gradually", "eventually", or "it won't be
>>long".
>>
>>The difference between "pretty soon" or "soon" and "gradually" is like day
>>and night
>>to my ears!
>>The actor (Superman) got paralyzed when he fell from his horse. Since this
>>tragedy happened several years ago, he has been improving by and by.
>>Nobody would think that this means "pretty soon" or just "soon".
>>What have the experts to say on this one?
> 
> In most usages i have heard (or used)it means "eventually" or
> "gradually" I have never heard it used to mean "soon" or "pretty soon"

Maybe it's the soon of "real soon now...."

But what do I know? I'm not an English teacher.

-- 
_______________________________________________________________
Scott Reynolds                                      sar@gol.com