Needn't or don't need? (1)

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Needn't or don't need?
Message from raffa971 posted on 13-05-2009 at 16:28:51
I wish to know when it's better to use "needn't" and "don't need".Many thanks!!

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Edited by lucile83 on 07-08-2009 13:28

Re: Needn't or don't need? by TravisKidd, posted on 13-05-2009 at 17:32:04
"Don't need" ~~est toujours meilleur.~~ is always better.

"Needn't" ~~n'est pas faux si suivi d'un verbe mais on ne le dit plus guère.~~ isn't wrong when followed by a verb but it's hardly ever used anymore.

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Edited by TravisKidd le 14-05-2009 09:17
English Only!

Re: Needn't or don't need? by , posted on 16-05-2009 at 12:02:19
Does that means "don't need" is more fashionable,and "needn't" is just out-of-date?

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Edited by TravisKidd le 16-05-2009 18:12

Re: Needn't or don't need? by TravisKidd, posted on 16-05-2009 at 18:03:13
Yes that's what it means. "Needn't" sounds like it would be said by a posh British person who has nothing better to do than drink tea all day.

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Edited by lucile83 le 16-05-2009 18:35
Yes, as jonquille just said, you needn't be rude
= you don't have to be rude.

Re: Needn't or don't need? by jonquille, posted on 16-05-2009 at 18:29:54
Traviskidd: Careful of the ethnic comments!

Re: Needn't or don't need? by TravisKidd, posted on 16-05-2009 at 21:39:42
Huh?? "British" is not an ethnicity!

Re: Needn't or don't need? by chrislondon, posted on 17-05-2009 at 01:01:48
In Britain we use both forms in the same way in the present.
e.g. 'I don't need to go', or 'I needn't go'.

In the past we use 'needn't have' for things that were done but were not necessary.
e.g. 'I needn't have sent her the information because she knew it already'. (You sent her the information but it wasn't necessary.)

'I didn't need to send her the information.' (You didn't send anything.)
By the way, I hate tea!!

Re: Needn't or don't need? by TravisKidd, posted on 17-05-2009 at 03:23:32
Interesting. So it appears less posh British people still use "needn't" too!

I understand "needn't have" in the way chrislondon describes, but in America we would (almost?) always opt for "didn't need", with the question of whether or not the unnecessary deed was done being made explicit or implied by the context.

- You got me a gift? That's very kind of you; you didn't need to do that!
- You didn't get me a gift? That's OK; you didn't need to, because I didn't get you one either.

Re: Needn't or don't need? by basma18, posted on 07-08-2009 at 12:18:45
We use "don't need" because it's better but I think that "needn't" it's wrong.bye!

Re: Needn't or don't need? by godofen, posted on 07-08-2009 at 13:09:12
I feel the same as chrislondon dose~

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Edited by godofen on 07-08-2009 13:09

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Edited by godofen on 07-08-2009 13:10

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