dative uses (was Re: Prescriptive Linguists)

[Tom Zurinskas]

I think in this lyric "for" means "to" so it makes sense.  "Pawn" really means "trade," and he says he wants to pawn all he owns, even his heart, to her for her love.  So using the word "pawn" means she must be the pawnbroker.  Instead, if he pawns it all to another pawnbroker for cash and gives it to her, what's he got left for her to love.  She wouldn't want cash in the affairs of the heart, I think.  Or maybe she's a material girl, keeps her end of the bargain says "She loves him" and takes the cash.  Doesn't sound like true love though.

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
See truespel.com - and the 4 truespel books plus "Occasional Poems" at authorhouse.com.



> Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:46:22 -0500
> From: thnidu at GMAIL.COM
> Subject: dative uses (was Re: Prescriptive Linguists)
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Mark Mandel
> Subject: dative uses (was Re: Prescriptive Linguists)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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  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
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

_________________________________________________________________
Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your Hotmail®-get your "fix".
http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org