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English usage question

From:Douglas Koller, Latin & French <latinfrench@...>
Date:Tuesday, February 4, 2003, 18:48
>Andreas Johansson scripsit: > >> I recently found on a piece of electronic stuff the instruction "The power >> turns off by pressing the button". I thought this was an odd way of putting >> it, and said so. But a there-present girl, who like me isn't a L1 speaker of >> English, insisted it was a perfectly normal expression. I still it's >> somewhere on the line between weirdness and ergativity. So, what does the >> Native Speakers (tm) on the list think?
Yes, Andreas, you are right on this one.
>I agree with Eamon that this particular case is improbable, but there are >many other verbs that can behave this way in English. > >The one that comes to mind is "This fish eats well with rice."
Blech! I find that expression as grating as "The car needs fixed." I *hate* that! Kou

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Sarah Marie Parker-Allen <lloannna@...>