I can't write Faith's voice, wah...

[doyle]

American vocab question: if Robin gave something to Faith as a gift would she say "he bought it to me" (this is what *I'd* say but I strongly suspect that's only correct in my dialect), "he bought it for me" or "he bought it me"? Or something else entirely?

Comments

[nikitangel.livejournal.com]

In a slightly different vein, I'm curious - if I were to notice something not-American in one of your fics (such as "he bought it her" *g*), would you want to know or do you feel once you've posted it, it's done and I would just be an annoying nitpicker?

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

Got something specific in mind? *g* This has happened before and I've always been slightly embarrassed at myself but very grateful, so I'd want to know. Most of the time my stuff's initially only posted to my journal or my website, so it's an easy fix, and at least I'll know for next time.

(I had no idea "But I should've done" wasn't used in American English till people on here mentioned it, for example.)

[nikitangel.livejournal.com]

Okay, I *was* curious in general, but the phrase that prompted my question was "She was sat in one corner," in your Faithficathon entry *g*

It made me think of my English friend, because it was one of the things I used to notice about his speech. In American English, we'd either say "She was sitting" or "She was seated" or "She sat" (in your case, I'd go for the first).

In your dialect, would you use that convention with other verbs, or is it distinctive to the verb "to sit"?

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to think of other verbs where that's the case, even other ones to do with position and not coming up with anything. Maybe it's unique to 'sit'... hmm.

I think I'll leave out the verb altogether, just say "she was in the corner" since it's obvious from the next bit she's sitting. Thanks for the heads up!

[nikitangel.livejournal.com]

Welcome! Glad to help, and I always find language stuff interesting.

[marymac.livejournal.com]

The 'was sat' tendency is usually a throwback to Irish. You use doubled verbs sometimes in English because of the way the Irish equivalent originally translated. Adn I can't remeber this in enough detail tonight...

[nikitangel.livejournal.com]

That's pretty cool to know. It makes me think of the way people using American Sign Language use the English, especially if they've used ASL from birth. It's all very interesting!

[doyle_sb4.livejournal.com]

To me as well: I don't speak a word of Irish, but thinking about it my word order is probably very influenced by it (I wouldn't say, to come up with a random example, "Don't you want any ice-cream?" I'd say "Do you not want any ice-cream?")