Fricative voicing in *houses*

Dennis R. Preston preston at MSU.EDU
Wed May 10 16:18:14 UTC 2006


My example was indeed an elliptical "I'm through verb+ing," but if it
were filled out, it would still be idiomatic. We're doing the same
structures.

dInIs

PS: I never meant to be suggestive.



>wilson inscribed:
>>>>
>Great example, dInIs! Perhaps I can spread it about. Or maybe not. I find it
>really difficult to accept "done" as standard in this environment. Besides,
>though I haven't heard any examples of blacks using "I'm done" in the wild,
>I have found cases of "I'm through" used by whites not only in the wild, but
>also even in print. "All your syntax are ours!" ;-)
><<<
>
>Both o' yez, are ye talkin' about the same construction? Wilson's original
>mention of through vs. done was
>
>>>>
>FWIW, I had the same problem with BE "through" vs. WE "done," as in BE, "I'm
>_through_ VERBing," vs. WE, "I'm _done_ VERBing."
><<<
>
>dInIs, your example was "I'm through!", not "I'm through VERBing", albeit in
>a suggestive context.
>
>(And btw, Wilson, don't you mean "All your syntax are belong to us"?)
>
>m
>
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Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Morrill Hall 15-C
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
Office: (517) 353-4736
Fax: (517) 353-3755

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