"another fool" <anotherfool@hotmail.com>, haber iletisinde sunlari
yazdi:44845040.0310302248.47a85601@posting.google.com...
> "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"


SF posted it on alt.english.usage too. There seems Brits and Yanks mean
different things by "by and by". And ESL speakers such as myself are
privileged to chose whatever they like...