How exactly do you leap?

8 replies

Yurtgirl · 26/02/2009 20:18

I have seen a lot of "leaping" in story books recently, it never seems correct to me so I thought Id ask for the MN verdict! No prizes for guessing which story these two sentances are from! I just want to know how does a person (or goat!) leap

Then it was the biggest goat's turn. As soon as he reached the middle of the bridge the troll leaped out from under it.

When the biggest goat joined his friends on the other side, they all leaped around and kicked in the air in excitement.

In both the above sentances I would have written leapt - which is correct?

OP posts:

Wallace · 26/02/2009 20:27

I would write leapt too, but I think leaped is a variation?

Wallace · 26/02/2009 20:28

btw just waiting for the shout of "troll"

Original poster

Yurtgirl · 26/02/2009 20:30

Yes I know I am leaping with anticipation at the sound of trip trap and any pathetic goat jokes that are likely to pop up

(One goat joke was funny a whole evening of MN as a goat was not imo, I digress!)

I am leaping..............

OP posts:

Habbibu · 26/02/2009 20:31

leapt will be the original form, I think, but a lot of verbs have had their endings changed by analogy - viz. clomb/climbed. Can check OED.

squeaver · 26/02/2009 20:31

They're both correct.

Wallace · 26/02/2009 20:34

Found this

Habbibu · 26/02/2009 20:36

They both go back a long way - found leped in a 1509 entry, so think the two forms were around before standardisation.

Original poster

Yurtgirl · 26/02/2009 20:42

Thats interesting! Thankyou to all three of you. An answer to a question that has been annoying me for ages

OP posts:

Flip