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Re: THEORY: Re : THEORY: Natural language change (was Re: Charlie and I)

From:Nik Taylor <fortytwo@...>
Date:Tuesday, September 21, 1999, 23:44
"Thomas R. Wier" wrote:
> The difference only comes in the extent to which people > use the suffix that way. I think in some dialects, this may > be limited to certain ossified phrases; in others, it's might be > limited to only certain types of phrases (like prepositional > phrases, or adjectival phrases: "court martial's", *"court's > martial") when following the noun. In some, of course, > it can be taken to bizarre degrees.
I don't think I've ever heard any use of -'s which didn't come immediately after the noun *phrase*. Which dialects put it anywhere *in* the noun phrase? Altho, exceptionally long noun phrases I'd probably find some way of avoiding, like, say, "the man I met in that restaurant we went to the other day's house", I'd probably say "the man I met in that restaurant we went to the other day, his house" depending on its usage, if it were the object, like "I went to ... house", I'd probably say "The man I met ..., I went to his house" or "Remember the man I met ... ?, I went to his house" -- Oh Lord, grant that we may always be right, for thou knowest we will never change our mind. - Scots Prayer http://members.tripod.com/~Nik_Taylor/X-Files/ http://members.tripod.com/~Nik_Taylor/Books.html