LL-L: "Pronouns" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 22.JUN.1999 (02)

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From: "john feather" <johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: Pronouns

John

"Hyper-correction" is simply an explanation of why a particular form,
contrary to standard usage, is used by a particular speaker.

As regards usages being "wrong", how about the thought that
"mentally-unimpaired, unstressed, adult native-speakers do not make
grammatical errors"? Hyper-correction is then a manifestation of stress -
the speaker is uncomfortable in the situation and is trying to impress
someone.

Interestingly, yesterday I overheard an educated North American friend use
the form "X and I" (X being her partner) as an object form. I asked her
about this afterwards and her first response was to say "What should I have
said?". She then told me she had had problems when she was a child because
her mother was from New Zealand and she had to "relearn" English to fit in
with American schoolchildren. I wondered if "X and I" might in her case be a
relic of Antipodean English.

John
johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Lowlands-L Administrator <sassisch at geocities.com>
To: <LOWLANDS-L at LINGUIST.LDC.UPENN.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 1999 3:42 PM
Subject: LL-L: "Pronouns" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 17.JUN.1999 (02)

> From: "John M. Tait" <jmtait at jmt.prestel.co.uk>
> Subject: Pronouns
>
> John Feather wrote:
>
> There is also the (possibly hyper-correct) form "He saw you and I"
>
> I was under the impression that this usage was simply wrong - it should be
> 'He saw you and me'. But maybe 'hyper-correct' is another way of saying
> 'wrong'? Of course, I'm aware of the argument that such expressions -
> originating from hyper-avoidance of the more natural vernacular use of the
> oblique form in compound subject pronouns - may become normalised. I've
> even heard Scots speakers say things like 'He telt Liz an I' which to me
> sounds absolutely ridiculous.
>
> What you say about 'c'est moi' fits in with what Sandy was saying - I
think!
>
> John M. Tait.

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