"is-is"

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Mar 17, 2006, at 7:28 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> Don't know if this is a new development, but a sixtyish commentator
> on Fox News (Sorry, I didn't catch whom) just said that "The fact
> is-is...[_pause_] it's going to be [etc.]."
>
>   The first "is" was stressed.
>
>   This is the first time I've noticed the pause in that position,
> (rather than across clauses), thuseffectively doubling the "is"
> *within its own clause.*

well, within its own intonational phrase.  intonational phrasing can
cut across clause boundaries.

but this sort of double-is example is not uncommon, though it's way
outnumbered by examples with a pause between the two occurrences of
"is".  there are also a fair number of examples with no pause in
either place.

in his 1987 paper on double-is, dwight bolinger transcribed one
occurrence as "isis", clearly indicating no pause.

the speaker i have who is almost categorical in his doubling produces
all three types.  and, in fact a fourth type, with a pause after
"that" in "is is that":

   The thing that’s nice is is that [pause]...

i have one instance of GWB doing this one:

   The point is is that [pause] if they can't prove they're achieving
good results,...

(with a *very* long pause, on the order of a second).

arnold

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