Re: USAGE: Internetese deviancy - the definite article

On Mon, Jul 26, 2004 at 12:02:30PM +0200, Andreas Johansson wrote:
> In some variants of online slang, incl that of a forum I'm frequenting, it's
> become customary to supply a definite article (typically spelt |teh|) in some
> context where it would not normally be expected in English; before a personal
> name, and before a predicate adjective.
Yes, however |teh| encompasses more than just the definite article; it is, in
fact, also an interjection: "teh!"

Additionally, this particle can turn any adjective into an interjection:
_teh stupid_ (often followed by variations of _!!!!11_ -- though this is
purely orthographical and not pronounced): _teh stupid!!!11_.

>
> So, frex, "Johnny is stupid" becomes "Teh Johnny is teh stupid". Fairly
> redundant, really.
This particular usage does not occur in my dialect however. It would
rather be _Johnny si teh stupid_. IMD _teh_ is *never* marked on both.
Also, sandhi usually triggers metathesis: _is_ > _si_.

In fact, I believe my dialect *never* marks personal names with the
_teh_ particle unless it occurs as an interjection: _teh Johnny_.

> I was wondering if this is an entirely new development, or if similar
> things are to be found in some pre-'Net varieties of English.
No idea. It has, however, made its way into my vernacular as /t_h@/. ;)


--
vehke.