Things that need fixed

[Jenna Dalious]

At 1:44 PM -0500 on 04/10/97, DUBARTELL at EDINBORO.EDU wrote:
> I've just joined in this discussion and saw the message asking the
> question as to where else this construction is found.  Most of my students
> from the Pittsburgh area use constructions of this type.  "The baby needs
> changed", for example.  Our former departartmental secretary, who was from
> West Virginia also had this speech pattern.  Our university is located
> about 10 minutes from Erie, PA and about 90 min north of Pittsburgh.  I am
> told by locals that this construction is not typical of the Erie area
> although you here it from peoploe who've relocated from Pittsburgh.  I
> cannot recall hearing this form at all in Chatauqua or Erie County, NY, or
> the Buffalo area, which is also about 90 min from Erie.

I think this construction is used by speakers in most of Western
Pennsylvania.  As an undergraduate at Penn State University, I heard this
construction used by people from the middle of the state (where PSU is
located) and westward.  As someone who grew up in Eastern PA, I was very
surprised to hear this being used by students not only in speech, but also
in a term paper I proofread!  As in Deborah's example above, the
construction was always needs + participle, such as the lightbulb needs
changed, etc., not just 'needs fixed.'  (Unfortunately, I can't think of
any good examples now.  My former roommate from Western PA used to say this
construction often, to which I would always reply jokingly "to be!")

Jenna

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               -- Jenna Dalious --
    Grad Student                 Romance Studies
 Cornell University             Ithaca, NY 14853
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