what do you call that form of English that doesn't use "to be"?

arcane1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 01:58 PM
Original message

what do you call that form of English that doesn't use "to be"?

zero-sum English or something like that? :shrug:

It's on the tip of my brain, but I just can't get to it!

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

imenja

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:01 PM
Response to Original message

1. can you explain that a bit more?

What precisely you mean, or give an example?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcane1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:03 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. hard to explain...

and I don't recall the correct grammar... but for example you wouldn't say "I am tired", you would say it in such a way as to eliminate the redundant "am"

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

imenja

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:11 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. oh, don't know

Edited on Tue Dec-14-04 02:17 PM by imenja

I know some of that is fairly common in black English (what some call Ebonics). They also use "be"--like "I be Christian"--to express a continual or repetitive state of being, similar but not identical to the difference between "ser" and "estar" in Spanish.
That's not what you mean though, so basically I'm being useless here.

Edit: If I even once wrote a post without a typo it would be a miracle.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Magrittes Pipe

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:03 PM
Response to Original message

2. Pretentious?

:shrug:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

benddem

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:06 PM
Response to Original message

4. as in?

"this whole subject makes me tired" ??? Didn't know it had a name.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

demnan

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:27 PM
Response to Original message

6. the opposite of passive English?

n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcane1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:33 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. but there is supposedly an actual name for it...

driving me crazy trying to remember :crazy:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

cpamomfromtexas

(453 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:40 PM
Response to Original message

8. It's called Active voice

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

TrogL

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:41 PM
Response to Original message

9. E-Prime

Edited on Tue Dec-14-04 02:45 PM by TrogL

http://www.general-semantics.org/library/61-4-bourland.pdf

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcane1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:46 PM
Response to Reply #9

11. that's it, thanks!

English Prime: To Exist or Not to Exist

English Prime means English without the verb "to be" or any of its forms. These include: is, are, were, am, be, been. You may, in using this language, use forms of the verb "to be" as helping verbs when the main verb describes action such as "been running" but not as a state of being verb such as "been sick."

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MrModerate

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:49 PM
Response to Reply #11

13. Yeah, but why would you want to? n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

TrogL

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:51 PM
Response to Reply #13

14. It firms up your thinking, enriches your language

I try to use it where I can.

I am happy -> I feel cheerful.
I am very said -> My sadness overwhelms me.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MrModerate

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 03:13 PM
Response to Reply #14

16. OK, I get it.

Hate that flabby language.

But then you should see my abs. Even worse.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

arcane1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 03:07 PM
Response to Reply #13

15. don't necessarily want to, was just talking about it a little while ago

to a person from Bosnia who was complaining about the whole "is, am, are, etc" thing

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

BurtWorm

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:46 PM
Response to Reply #9

12. I call your attention to the correct answer!

Notice that I resisted saying, "Here ** the correct answer." I have pride in myself.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Midlodemocrat

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Dec-14-04 02:43 PM
Response to Original message

10. Ebonics. I think that is what you are looking for. n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Thu Apr 25th 2024, 05:46 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.