Re: Re: use(d) to

[Steve Boatti]

In a message dated 8/14/03 12:36:35 PM, zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU writes:


> this, however, is problematic.  it assumes that speakers connect
> the verb in [just@] (conveying tense/aspect semantics) with the
> ordinary verb [juz] 'employ', which seems pretty dubious to me.
> (maybe some do, but it's a pretty big leap.)
> 
> the alternative is to assume that tense/aspect [just@] is always
> spelled <used to>, regardless of the syntactic context.
> 

"Used to" is clearly a preterite -- it always refers to past action and has 
the preterite ending. All other preterites with "I did" drop the "d" ending and 
employ the present form of the verb. Why is it so difficult to do the same 
with "used" in this context?



Steve Boatti
sjb72 at columbia.edu