Because X
Baker, John
JMB at STRADLEY.COM
Wed Aug 17 02:19:05 UTC 2011
A construction I've noticed in the last year or two, and don't recall having seen discussed here, is in the form Because X, where X is a noun rather than the longer phrase you would expect to see. The implication is that the mere mention of X is sufficient for a compelling argument. Sometimes Because and X are separated by "you know." Here's an example from a recent webcomic strip, Something Positive, http://somethingpositive.net/sp08122011.shtml:
Donna: Vanessa, can I talk to you?
Vanessa: Depends. Do I have to stop eating cookies? Cuz, y'know, cookies.
Unfortunately, "because" is a sufficiently common word that it isn't easy to search for the construction.
John Baker
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