LL-L "Grammar" 2010.12.15 (04) [EN-NDS]

[Lowlands-L List]

=====================================================
L O W L A N D S - L - 15 December 2010 - Volume 04
lowlands.list at gmail.com - http://lowlands-l.net/
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org
Archive: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-08)
Language Codes: lowlands-l.net/codes.php
=====================================================



From: pbarrett <pbarrett at cox.net>

Subject: LL-L "Grammar" 2010.12.15 (01) [EN]



I've heard the expression "splitting verbs" in only one social context but
here it is in a different one. Where did you get this expression and do you
have any idea as to its origin?

Pat Barrett



----------



From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

Subject: Grammar



Pat,

It’s a common English way of referring to separating what is perceived to be
a prepositional clitic from a verb under certain syntactic circumstances.
For example, German ...



Du musst das Rauchen *aufgeben*.
(You must give up smoking.)

*Gib* das Rauchen *auf*!
(Give up smoking!)

As opposed to “unsplittable” compounds (with prepositional prefixes?); e.g.:

Du musst ihr den Preis *übergeben*.
(You must present the award to her.)

*Übergib* ihr den Preis!

(Not **Gib* ihr den Preis *über*!)
(Present the award to her!)

 Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA



----------



From: Heiko Evermann <heiko.evermann at gmx.de>

Subject: LL-L "Grammar" 2010.12.15 (01) [EN]



> Perhaps it goes back to an attempt at avoiding “splitting verbs.” But it
is
> also used with simple verbs.
>
> Perhaps its use in interrogative constructions is old enough that the
Saxon
> settlers in Britain took it over with them.

Well, today it is common in English for questions and negations, but
Shakespeare used it not, at least not regularly. But he sometimes did
things like
"What thou art promis'd; yet do I fear thy nature;"
(http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth/Act_I)

Heiko



=========================================================
Send posting submissions to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
Send commands (including "signoff lowlands-l") to
listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands.list at gmail.com
http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/group.php?gid=118916521473498<http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#%21/group.php?gid=118916521473498>
===============================================================
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lowlands-l/attachments/20101215/0758eb07/attachment.htm>