dative uses (was Re: Prescriptive Linguists)

[Mark Mandel]

Good point, Charlie: This clearly doesn't mean "pawn X to you" but "pawn X
for you".

I know that phrase in the song Nine Hundred Miles; is that by Carter?
Discussion on the Mudcat Forum shows a lot of related songs. The lyrics
listed there (below Charlie's letter) are approximately the same as the ones
I learned. I haven't listened to the tune file to compare tunes.

On Jan 31, 2008 8:20 AM, Charles Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:

> Speaking of dative uses that may be unfamiliar to speakers of some
> dialects: I have always been especially fond of this stanza, the first in a
> song by A. P. Carter (of the famous Carter family):
>
>    Oh I'll pawn you my gold watch and chain, love,
>    And I'll pawn you my gold diamond ring,
>    I will pawn you this heart in my bosom,
>    Only say that you'll love me again.
>
> --Charlie
> _____________________________________________________________


http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=4232
DigiTrad: NINE HUNDRED MILES

NINE HUNDRED MILES

Well I'm walkin' down the track, I got tears in my eyes
Tryin' to read a letter from my home

cho: If that train runs me right, I'll be home tomorrow night
'Cause it's nine hundred miles where I'm goin'.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow
'Cause I'm nine hundred miles from my home.

Well the train I ride on is a hundred coaches long
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

I will pawn you my watch, I will pawn you my chain
Pawn you my gold diamond ring.

Well if you say so, I will railroad no more
Sidetrack my train and come home.

Recorded by Woody Guthrie
@travel @train
filename[ MILES900
TUNE FILE: MILES900


--
Mark Mandel

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