Nobel Prize for Archaeological Grammar

[David A. Daniel]

I don't get it. OK, scuba-dived sounds kind of weird, but so does
scuba-dove. I think most folks would say "I went scuba diving" and sidestep
the issue. With or without the scuba, though, dived and dove are both
perfectly respectable as past tense for dive. Am I missing something? As for
"...sent it to I and my brother" I don't think I know anyone (any native
speakers, that is) who would say that. Maybe I don't know the right people?
DAD


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
Laurence Urdang
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 10:11 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Nobel Prize for Archaeological Grammar

Heard today on WOR710, 0505, by Shelley Strickler:
                                  dived
  for "dove":
  "I scuba-dived in Cancun."
  I wonder if I shall ever again hear "me" instead of "I" in contexts like,
"He sent it to I and my brother" (let alone the inherent rudeness of
mentioning oneself before another or others, clearly a relic in the annals
of politeness).
  I can tolerate anything as a professional linguist; but as a professional
writer who tries to cleave to an elevated style, I abhor such linguistic
miscegenations.
  L. Urdang

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