Whatever you're going -- don't!

Hi, can any please tell me whether “don’t” in ‘Jimmy, whatever you’re doing, don’t’ is short for ‘don’t be doing it’ or ‘don’t do it’? Many thanks.

4 Likes

Hi @Torsten,

I think ‘don’t’ just means the person must stop what he is doing at the time.

2 Likes

So, it’s some kind of standalone word rather than an abbreviated version of a sentence similar to ‘go!’?

2 Likes

Yes, I think it’s alone in this case.

I found these examples which are different:

Whatever you do, don’t lose this key.
Whatever you do, don’t buy that house.

3 Likes

What’s interesting is that in your two examples both clauses are in the simple present while in 'Whatever you are doing, – don’t!" the first part is in the present progressive and the second part in the simple present.

3 Likes

Yes, it is interesting indeed!

3 Likes

Because the verb in the main clause is in the progressive (you’re doing), don’t should be short for don’t be doing which has the nature of advice. If it means don’t do, then the speaker wants Jimmy to stop doing it, which is not the case discernible from this context.

3 Likes