the problem is is that...

[Peter A. McGraw]

I had a friend who consistently said, "The point being is...."
Interestingly, he lives in Yellow Springs (near Dayton).

Peter

--On Tuesday, December 18, 2001 5:54 PM -0500 Beverly Flanigan
<flanigan at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU> wrote:

> I don't think I've heard that one, but the related  "the reason being is
> ..." is consistently used by a former student from Dayton, as well as by a
> few others I've randomly taken note of.  I'd appreciate comments by others
> on these two constructions!
>
> At 09:47 PM 12/17/01 +0000, you wrote:
>> Beverly,
>>
>> Are you also dealing with "the problem being is ..."?
>> That's the one I hear more often here in Central Indiana.
>>
>> Herb
>> > This is of interest to me, since I'm working on a long-promised paper
>> > on this and related constructions (and I will get it to you soon,
>> > Arnold!).  Of course the double "is" is deliberate, and it's become
>> > extremely common (the other "is"s are totally unrelated and completely
>> > "normal" in context).
>> >
>
>
> _____________________________________________
> Beverly Olson Flanigan         Department of Linguistics
> Ohio University                     Athens, OH  45701
> Ph.: (740) 593-4568              Fax: (740) 593-2967
> http://www.cats.ohiou.edu/linguistics/dept/flanigan.htm



****************************************************************************
                               Peter A. McGraw
                   Linfield College   *   McMinnville, OR
                            pmcgraw at linfield.edu