When did can not become cannot?

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”I saw a lady on T.V. She was born without arms. Literally, she was born with her hands attached to her shoulders... and that was sad, but then they said, "Lola does not know the meaning of the word 'can't.'" And that to me was kinda worse... In a way... Y'know? Not only does she not have arms, but she doesn't understand simple contractions. It's very simple, Lola, you just take two words, you put them together, then you take out the middle letter, you put a comma in there and you raise it up!”

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quote:

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The transition from "can not" to "cannot" is not a straightforward change but rather a matter of convention and usage that evolved over time.

Historically, "can not" and "cannot" were both used, with "can not" being more common in older texts. Over time, "cannot" became the more standardized and preferred form in modern English, particularly in the 19th century. This change was largely driven by the desire for consistency and simplicity in written language.

By the early 20th century, "cannot" had become the dominant form, and today it is the standard spelling. "Can not" is still grammatically correct, but it is now mostly used in specific contexts where emphasis is placed on the word "not," as in "You can choose not to go" (which could be rephrased as "You can not go").

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