Fwd: Zero vs. "that" relatives

[Arnold Zwicky]

Mark Davies replied:

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Mark Davies <Mark_Davies at byu.edu>
> Date: December 29, 2008 8:15:07 AM PST
> To: Arnold Zwicky <zwicky at STANFORD.EDU>
> Subject: RE: Zero vs. "that" relatives
>
> The decrease since the 1970s makes sense -- others have noted a
> shift towards zero with both relatives and as verbal complementizers
> (I know (that) Fred will get here today) in both contemporary
> British and American English. The increase in "that" (or, decrease
> in zero) during the preceding 30-40 years is somewhat more
> problematic. Prescriptive pressure, which died out / lessened in the
> 1960s/1970s?
>

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