aloose--atypical a-prefixing?

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

I thought this wasn't supposed to happen with a-prefixing (i.e., "a-" 
attached to a total adjective)?


In a message dated 2/29/08 10:06:59 AM, zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU writes:


> On Feb 28, 2008, at 11:52 AM, Wilson Gray wrote:
> 
> > Late-forty-ish, black female plaintiff from Georgia:
> >
> > ... Anyhow, the dog was _aloose_."
> >
> > It's nice to find an "aloose" in the wild. Ever since a
> > standard-speaking friend pointed out to me that "aloose" is not
> > standard - I was taken completely aback by his claim, refusing to
> > believe it until I couldn't find "aloose" in any dictionary - I listen
> > for it.
> >
> > What's really interesting about this instance is its use as a simple
> > predicate adjective. Normally, it occurs only in phrases: break
> > aloose, get aloose, knock aloose, come aloose, turn aloose, but no
> > _*be*_ aloose, an observation with which DARE concurs.
> 
> not too hard to find examples.  here are two from the south, and one
> citation from "Pittsburghese":
> 
>    Its Aloose on the Internet. These were my comments to Mr. Hobbs
> article on his blog page [Ted G. Cook, Savannah, Tennessee]
> teddstablet.blogspot.com/ 2006/09/its-aloose-on-internet.html
> 
>    Foreshadowing of events is used very effectively throughout this
> story. Grandmother rants about the Misfit being aloose from the
> Federal Pen 139. [essay on Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to
> Find"]
> www.megaessays.com/essay_search/Federal_Pen.html
> 
>    Your shoe is aloose. (Submitted by Debra Harvey, Columbia,
> Maryland). Ascared, Afraid or Scared. I'm ASCARED of the dark.
> www.pittsburghese.com/glossary.ep.html?type=adjectives
> 
> lots and lots of examples (not as complement of "be") from songs,
> mostly by black artists:
> 
>    Billy Ray Charles shake these blues aloose - Song - MP3 Stream on
> IMEEM Music.
> missreneeriley.imeem.com/music/c3MHQJOd/
> billy_ray_charles_shake_these_blues_aloose/
> 
>    Funkin' it aloose by Kevin "Kstar" Shider. Funk. Funk Rock.
> payplay.fm/shider
> 
> i'd always assumed "aloose" was widespread but non-standard.
> 
> though predicative uses are not hard to find, prenominal uses should
> be extremely rare, since most adjectives in a- (many of them descended
> from prepositional phrases with the preposition an/on) do not occur
> prenominally.  so non-standard "aloose" (and "ascared" etc.) are like
> standard "asleep" etc. in being  barred from prenominal use.
> 
> arnold
> 
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> 
> 




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