Re: pro-anything

Fabian wrote:
> pro-verbs
>     to do (who killed the taxman? he did it!)
>     to be (Who is lying on the floor? He is!)
Actually, I don't think those are pro-verbs at all.  He did it = He did
the killing.  To be classified as a "pro-verb", it would have to be able
to function in all the situations a verb can.  Compare pronouns.

Jane saw Bill --> She saw him
Jane's book --> her book
with Bill --> with him

and so on.  Anywhere you can put a noun, you can put the corresponding
pronoun.

Now, compare "do"

Jane killed Bill --> Jane did Bill
Nope, doesn't work; in fact, it has a *very* different meaning,
primarily sexual.
Don't run --> *Don't do
Makes no sense

--
"It's bad manners to talk about ropes in the house of a man whose father
was hanged." - Irish proverb
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