dialect in novels

[Dennis R. Preston]

>The rule gets negated when somebody comes up with a better one
>(i.e., one which "covers" more of the exceptions). The humdrum life
>of science.


dInIs

>




>Don't you just love a "rule with many exceptions"? How many exceptions
>does it take to negate the rule? :-)
>
>Bob
>
>"Dennis R. Preston" wrote:
>>
>>  >What's nerve-grating about a pretty good rule (although there are
>>  >many exceptions): Irregulars are done away with in metaphoric usage.
>>  >Goose (application of thumb to backside) has plural gooses;
>>  >preterite of fly out (baseball) is "flied out" (not "flew out"). Snd
>>  >so on. Chill.
>>
>>  dInIs
>>
>>  PS: Exception - computer mice (although mouses was once used)
>>
>>  >Speaking of "nerve-grating", why is the Toronto hockey club known as the
>>  >"Maple Leafs" and not the "Maple Leaves"?
>>  >
>>  >Beverly Flanigan wrote:
>>  >>
>>  >>  At 10:13 AM 2/25/01 -0500, you wrote:
>>  >>  >Wouldn't argue. It just seems that one or the other is redundant; like
>>  >>  >"focus in on" or "continued on".
>>  >>  >
>>  >>  >Go Green
>>  >>  >
>>  >>  >Bob
>>  >>
>>  >>  Reminds me of a former TA who considers "co-occur together" (quoted from
>>  >>  Fromkin & Rodman, our old Lx favorite) to be "teeth-clenchingly,
>>  >>  nerve-gratingly redundant."  Needless to say, she's no longer teaching
>>  >>  linguistics.
>>  >>
>>  >>  _____________________________________________
>>  >>  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
>>
>>  --
>>  Dennis R. Preston
>>  Department of Linguistics and Languages
>>  Michigan State University
>>  East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
>>  preston at pilot.msu.edu
>>  Office: (517)353-0740
>>  Fax: (517)432-2736

--
Dennis R. Preston
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
preston at pilot.msu.edu
Office: (517)353-0740
Fax: (517)432-2736