proper use of try to or try and

[twistin1]

One of my pet peeves is constantly on broadcast radio and tv. Please clear it up for me. I constantly hear announcers saying "try and" do something rather than try to or try for in a phrase. Thank you very much

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[Tdol]

It's very common and does annoy some people, but it's probably better for your blood pressure to try to take a relaxed view.

[riverkid]

One of my pet peeves is constantly on broadcast radio and tv. Please clear it up for me. I constantly hear announcers saying "try and" do something rather than try to or try for in a phrase. Thank you very much

It'll probably help you a great deal, Twistin, to find out that "try and" is completely proper. "try and" is in good company in that it is similar in nature to a number of other English structures, for example

Be sure and {verb}

Go and {verb}

Nice/good and {adj/adv}

Sit/Stand (etc.) and {verb}

Be an angel/dear/good boy and {verb}

[Naamplao]

It'll probably help you a great deal, Twistin, to find out that "try and" is completely proper. "try and" is in good company in that it is similar in nature to a number of other English structures, for example

Be sure and {verb}

Go and {verb}

Nice/good and {adj/adv}

Sit/Stand (etc.) and {verb}

Be an angel/dear/good boy and {verb}

I agree with you 100%. I have no problem with "try and" in a sentence. Perhaps it is a Canadianism but I don't think so.

I want you to try and solve the problem.

There are two sentences here made into one.

I want you to try. (make an attempt....don't be so lazy)
I want you to solve the problem. (what I want you to do)

Where is the difficulty here?