Verbless slogans - A new trend?

[Beverly Flanigan]

They didn't choose this phrase, but I would certainly assume they knew what
they meant when they chose "We ready" (and would if they chose "We be
ready" too).  Since white Southerners often delete the copula too (listen
to Trent Lott), I would think the phrase would be comprehensible all around.

At 06:37 PM 11/30/01 +0000, you wrote:
>I noticed that eight of thirteen players on last year's
>UCharleston team were African American, as well as the
>head coach.  If the ratio is close to that this year
>too, is it possible that the team knew what they meant
>by "we be ready"?
>
>Herb Stahlke
> > From my own experience, I would suggest the following:
> > "We be ready" wouldn't be appropriate when referring to future events
> (e.g.,
> > plans for the whole year) since the statement indicates a general present
> > habitual state, based on past [before the moment of speaking] occurrences
> > (e.g.,  Whenever we have to play the Tigers, we be ready" [="Every time we
> > play the Tigers, we are ready" or "Every time we played the Tigers, we were
> > ready" or  "Every time we've played the Tigers, we have been ready."])  "We
> > ready" (=We are ready) is the better choice since it indicates a present
> > state of physical or mental preparedness for whatever happens in the
> near or
> > distant future.  P-A-T


_____________________________________________
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