[Gllug] Monthly GLLUG grammar report

[Nix]

On Tue, 26 Nov 2002, Daniel Andersson yowled:
[Tethys writes:]
>> Pete Ryland writes:
>>
>> >I've heard incantations like "I would if I were more diligent" etc.
>> >I can't remember hearing this before about 1990, so I'm not sure if
>> >this is a recent change in the language. After all, you never hear
>> >people say "You would if you was more diligent" do you?
>>
>> There are localised exceptions, of course. "You was" is commonly heard
>> in Saarf London ("you was robbed"). Equally, head up to Yorkshire, and
>> you could be told "I were on my way t' pit".
> 
> but isn't that due to stupidity? the WAS-part that is, not the
> yorkshire-part..

What is `stupidity'? Languages only evolve because people use language
differently from their parents or those around them.

It's merely different usage.

(I dunno, those Britons, they can't speak plain Latin!
                         they can't speak plain Saxon!
                         they can't speak plain French!
                         . . .)

> i mean, a lot of people in essex say "innit" after every sentence they say
> "are you going into town, INNIT?", which _I_ think shows a lack of
> confidence and intelligence

That's already been explained as an import from (South?) African
languages by way of Carribean (/ Jamaican?) creoles.

-- 
`I keep hearing about SF writers dying, but I never hear about SF
 writers being born.  So I guess eventually there'll be none left.'
                                    -- Keith F. Lynch


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