Pronunciation: [hˈuːd] (IPA)
The word "who'd" is a shortened version of "who would" or "who had". The apostrophe in "who'd" represents the contraction of "would" or "had", so it is pronounced as "hoo-d" with a short "u" sound. In IPA phonetic transcription, this is represented as /huːd/. It is important to use the correct spelling of contractions like "who'd" when writing, as incorrect spelling can change the meaning of a sentence and cause confusion for the reader.
"Who'd" is a contraction of "who would" or "who had," commonly used in spoken and informal written English.
When the contraction represents "who would," it indicates the past tense of "will" or a hypothetical situation. In this usage, "who'd" suggests the idea of a person speculating about someone's possible actions or choices. For example, "Who'd have thought she'd become a doctor?" implies surprise or disbelief about someone becoming a doctor, as it was unexpected or seemed unlikely.
When "who'd" is a contraction of "who had," it signifies the perfect tense of the verb "have." In this interpretation, "who'd" describes an action that was completed before another past event. For instance, "Who'd left the door open?" implies that someone left the door open at some point in the past, and this act has a connection to the situation being discussed.
Overall, "who'd" is a versatile contraction that allows for smoother and more concise speech or writing. Its meaning heavily relies on the context and grammatical structure surrounding it. It is worth noting that contractions like "who'd" are generally less formal and mainly used in informal conversations or informal writing styles such as emails, text messages, and dialogue in literature.
The word "who'd" is a contraction of two words: "who" and "would".
The first part, "who", dates back to Old English, where it was spelled "hwā". It has a Germanic origin, derived from the Proto-Germanic word "khwas" or "hwaz". It has cognates in various other Germanic languages, such as the Dutch "wie", German "wer", and Old Norse "hverr".
The second part, "would", also has Old English roots. It evolved from the verb "willan", which meant "to wish" or "to desire". It had its origin in the Proto-Germanic word "wiljaną". The Old English form of "would" was "wolde".
Over time, the two words combined to form "who'd" as a contraction, with the apostrophe representing the omitted letters "ul".