Originally Posted by Herbert Augustus Chapman
Top wriggling b
Sir C is well aware that I know the difference between 'hung' and 'hanged'. However, as a skilled and practised user of the English language at a certain level, I get to choose those 'rules' to which I adhere and those to which I don't. As the most cursory research will tell you, most such 'rules' are entirely arbitrary and don't stand up to the slightest scrutiny.
Here, for instance, we have the regular and irregular past participles of the verb 'to hang'. Each is equally valid and easily understood, but recent tradition has dictated that one be used in one context and one in another. In fact, they were used interchangeably for centuries and there is no logic behind not doing so other than to avoid the barbs of pedants who wish to castigate you for doing nothing wrong.
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