"have ever been"

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Sep 12, 2006, at 1:04 PM, Wilson Gray wrote:

> "Are you now or have you ever been...?" perhaps?
>
> -Wilson
>
> On 9/12/06, Arnold M. Zwicky <zwicky at csli.stanford.edu> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       "Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU>
>> Subject:      "have ever been"
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>>
>> caught in passing on the radio on sunday, a woman talking about her
>> enthusiasm for Star Trek: "I am, and have ever been,..."

but that's the 'at some time' "ever", in an interrogative context,
where it's specially licensed.  though maybe the formula is
relevant.  some history would be helpful.

arnold

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