When did "try and" replace the more sensible "try to"?

TabbyTom

The earliest example in the Oxford English Dictionary is from "The History of Monastical Conventions," by John Sergeant: "They try and express their love to God by their thankfulness." This work was published in 1686. Mar 27 06, 6:35 PM

kaylofgorons

I've just read that it's pretty established in British English. I worked at Burger King this summer and everything said "to try and win". No one tries for the sake of trying. They're trying *to win*. You might try and win, but you try to win. I'm curious. Is it ever acceptable to say "Jimmy, try not and lose your socks?" Mar 27 06, 7:23 PM

bloomsby

"Try and" isn't used with if the verb following is negative. Mar 27 06, 8:25 PM

Baloo55th

It is. 'Try and not lose any more socks' is a common speech in this part of the UK at least. 'Correct' English might say 'Try not to lose any more socks', but people do use the first example. 'Try and' is used when speaking to someone (and occasionally in the first person) as a double exhortation. They have both to try and to win. No-one (well, foreigners might...) says 'Try not and'. they do say 'Try not to'. Mar 28 06, 10:28 AM

kaylofgorons

Or we can split the infinitive and say "Try to not lose any more socks." English can be so much fun... Mar 28 06, 12:00 PM

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