15.3554, Qs: On 'versus' as a Verb; English Pronunciation

[LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-15-3554. Tue Dec 21 2004. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 15.3554, Qs: On 'versus' as a Verb; English Pronunciation

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Wayne State U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>

Reviews (reviews at linguistlist.org)
        Sheila Collberg, U of Arizona
        Terry Langendoen, U of Arizona

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne
State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Steven Moran <steve at linguistlist.org>
================================================================

We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it
is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have
taken the trouble to respond to the query.

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.


===========================Directory==============================

1)
Date: 21-Dec-2004
From: William J. Rapaport < rapaport at cse.Buffalo.EDU >
Subject: On 'versus' as a Verb

2)
Date: 21-Dec-2004
From: wajdan raza < wajdanraza at yahoo.com >
Subject: English Pronunciation


-------------------------Message 1 ----------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:27:40
From: William J. Rapaport < rapaport at cse.Buffalo.EDU >
Subject: On 'versus' as a Verb


Has anyone noticed the use of ''versus'' as a verb, as in:

''I versed him in Yu-Gi-Oh yesterday.''
''Who are you versing in the tournament?''

It seems to come from a misunderstanding, based on pronunciation,
of ''versus'' as ''verses'' (i.e., of a Latin term misheard as an English
3rd-person verb):  The headline ''Michael vs. Tyler'' is heard as the
active sentence ''Michael verses Tyler''.

I first heard this within the last year from my 9-year-old son and his
friends.  They define it as ''to battle''.

Linguistic Field(s): Semantics




-------------------------Message 2 ----------------------------------
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:27:42
From: wajdan raza < wajdanraza at yahoo.com >
Subject: English Pronunciation



Dear linguits,

I am a student of MA Final (Linguistics). I am doing
my research on the English Pronunciation of the people
of Goa, India. I request those linguists who completed
research theses on English pronunciation to send/email
me their researches or literature reviews so that I
can complete my literarute review and choose the best
suited methodology to analyse the samples of my
research. I would be extremely grateful. Thanks.

Wajdan Raza
email: wajdanraza at yahoo.com

Linguistic Field(s): Phonology








-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-15-3554