English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room - 2012-08-14 (page 9 of 9)

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11:31 PM

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Q: Can their be used as a singular possessive pronoun?

I am attempting to help wordsmith a fundraising appeal. A member of the committee reviewing the appeal has pointed out we have a grammatical issue with one of our sentences: So for $1,300 contributed directly to [University Name], you can sponsor a merit based scholarship for a top [State Nam...

grammar possessive structure

Obvious dupe. Anyone have a tab open with the original?

¡Muy duplicado!

Yep.

Voted to close, added dupe.

People simply don’t look.

Where were you when we were talking about Han Unification?

Moi?

Toi.

t

I dunno. I think I was enjoying myself. I'm sorry, I really am.

I don't understand the tense conflict.

Oh.

Understand now.

11:35 PM

As far as Han Unification goes, though, I'm all for it. Provided it accounts for all the variant characters based on original Hanzi characters.

But I don't see how that would be possible.

No, apparently not.

There is a huge new set coming through the pipe, with lots of alternates.

Still, how would it supplant the oceans of encodings already used in published material?

Hiya, boys.

Hiya, Bottles.

There are two questions I was thinking of asking on the main site. May I run them by you to see what you think?

11:40 PM

Um, surely.

Run away.

@Robusto They’re aiming for roundtrippability with those oceans.

By which I mean "Um, surely."

@tchrist To them I wish all the best, and I'm glad I don't have to do any of the work.

The first was about adding -o to words in song lyrics. Day-o, town-o, valley-o. Is there a pattern to this, some sort of relationship to these words, or is it merely a device for meter (it certainly isn't for rhyming).

Or does it mean something?

And wtf is up with my 'g' key?

@KitFox I knew it! You are a closet Harry Belafonte fan!

11:43 PM

Ach now, me boyo, what would you be askin us that un?

@Robusto Busted.

The fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o.

Me thinky people say this sorta thingo.

See, you've got the idea.

But I wasn't sure if the question was on-topic.

But I can't tell you who does.

11:44 PM

I think it's worth an ask. I don't know the answer myself, and I'm kinda curious.

I think it might not be as on topic with songs as it would be if you couched it in terms of spoken language.

OK. I will ask then.

Well, I will include that as an hypothesis.

Sounds like A Piece of the Action talk.

Oh, and hey, you'll be glad to know I don't have cancer.

A Piece of the Action (Star Trek: The Original Series)

"A Piece of the Action" is a second-season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series first broadcast on January 12, 1968; its repeat on August 30, 1968, was the last episode to air in the 8:30 pm time slot on Friday nights. It is episode #46, production #49, written by David P. Harmon and Gene L. Coon, and directed by James Komack. Overview: The Enterprise visits a planet with an Earth-like 1920s gangster culture, with Runyonesque dialog and costumes. Plot Stardate: Unknown; The starship USS Enterprise, under the command of Captain James T. Kirk, is exploring space near Sigma Iotia II...

@KitFox God yes.

11:46 PM

Yes, I am familiar with that series.

No, that show.

They are in the 20s.

People add -o to works, especially names.

sighs

@KitFox Was that on the table?

Hey Rocko, you gonna hit Cracko?

@Robusto Yes, but not now.

11:47 PM

Was that the second question?

No, that wasn't.

Sorry.

So then I also have this other question, which I'm not sure if it's a dupe or not.

Here's a guess: It might have originated with "Ho!" — an interjection added for emphasis. Or even "Oh!"

Oh! Emphasis! I hadn't thought of that.

That's interesting.

Check Wodehouse.

OK, maybe I should post the first question first, then ask about the next one.

11:49 PM

In all the songs I can think of (one), it always falls on the backbeat, which is the beat that gives rock'n'roll its power.

I thought of three.

Yes, music lyrics seem OT. Other stuff, no.

But it's not lyrics per se, it's about a linguistic mannerism.

Well, ima ask it. Let em close it if they donna like it.

Well, I certainly won't close it.

11:51 PM

How about the title "Where does the extraneous '-o' come from and what purpose does it serve?"

Or is that too murky?

Too long.

Never mind. I'll write. You can edit if you want.

But I'm one of those fussbudgets who prefers titles not to have full-formed sentences in them.

Especially when they wrap the line.

Yeah, I come from a long line of ~~feces~~ theses.

@tchrist You look more like a flibbertigibbet to me.

11:54 PM

Perhaps in my salad days.

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