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Words & Phrases
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  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    I'd fuck an Eastender or two.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down Urban_TribesmanUrban_Tribesman
    Posts: 5,691
    Rearender?
    The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ.
    Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit.
    Shall lure it back to cancal half a line,
    Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
  • Vote Up0Vote Down WhickwithyWhickwithy
    Posts: 5,166
    Thanks for that, iuv. The Oxford dictionary was pretty precise in its explanation of irregardless not being a word. Makes me think of a double negative and I shudder.
    https://sentienceww.blogspot.com
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    Multiple negatives are quite common in many languages, including certain dialects of English. I can't remember about modern Greek, but ancient Greek required them. In English today we frown upon them as déclassé, but we tend to be snobs to say the least.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down WhickwithyWhickwithy
    Posts: 5,166
    So, were the multiple negatives to emphasize or did they cancel each other out as is the concept in modern English?
    https://sentienceww.blogspot.com
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    They just were, and still are. The idea that they cancel each other might be somewhat artificial, like a lot of standard English grammar. I don't know much about the evolution of Germanic languages, but the answer is probably there. I'd guess that the presumption that 'He ain't got nothin' means 'he has something' came out of a study of logic rather than an analysis of language. Think about it: no one nowhere never said 'He ain't got nothin' to mean 'He has something.' Not nobody! Not nohow!
    Post edited by iuventus at 2017-04-28 03:21:31
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down WhickwithyWhickwithy
    Posts: 5,166
    Ha? You've got a point. Logic can be so frustrating. Who says that what you say has to make sense?
    https://sentienceww.blogspot.com
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    And often it makes more sense if you just don't think about it.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down WhickwithyWhickwithy
    Posts: 5,166
    Not think about it??? No way...
    https://sentienceww.blogspot.com
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    Then you're obligated to accept that language is a naturally evolving aspect of culture and understand people in their dialectal context. You can still analyze language, but as a puzzle rather than the tool it is. Big responsibilties for the brainy.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down Urban_TribesmanUrban_Tribesman
    Posts: 5,691
    iuventus said:

    Then you're obligated to accept that language is a naturally evolving aspect of culture and understand people in their dialectal context. You can still analyze language, but as a puzzle rather than the tool it is. Big responsibilties for the brainy.


    What was the little tiff we had a couple of years ago ( before we became Bros) about whether something was a triple or a quadruple negative? I miss those times!
    The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ.
    Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit.
    Shall lure it back to cancal half a line,
    Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    I don't remember. Remind me.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down Urban_TribesmanUrban_Tribesman
    Posts: 5,691
    I would not object to us no longer characterizing you as not my girlfriend
    The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ.
    Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit.
    Shall lure it back to cancal half a line,
    Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.
  • Vote Up0Vote Down iuventusiuventus
    Posts: 5,381
    I love you too, but that's not quite the same phenomenon we were talking about above.
    If I were dead, could I do this?
  • Vote Up0Vote Down WhickwithyWhickwithy
    Posts: 5,166
    Yes, puzzles. My favorite pastime. At least I don't blurt out "that's not a word!" when somebody says 'orientate' anymore. One of those social niceties with which I've always had trouble
    https://sentienceww.blogspot.com
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