Re: Evolution of Applicatives

And Rosta wrote:

>Tom:
>
>
>>From:    John Cowan <cowan@...>
>>
>>
>>>Thomas R. Wier scripsit:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>(2) a.  David was writing on Tuesday, but not Thursday.
>>>>>>    b.  **Tuesday was being written on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>But 2b is perfectly perspicuous if Tuesday is the topic rather
>>>>>than the date,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>Whether something is "perspicuous" is rather beside the point; the
>>>>question is whether it is sensed to be grammatical.  And I'm
>>>>pretty sure I can't get your topic reading. :)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Eh?  Are you confused by my use of "topic"?  I don't mean it in the
>>>linguistic sense, but rather as a synonym for "subject matter".
>>>
>>>
>>Ah, well, we *were* talking about linguistics on a rather formal
>>level, so I just assumed... but I still can't get any reading other
>>with Tuesday as the patient, and not as the day.  I'm pretty sure
>>that most English speakers will agree with me in this respect.
>>
>>
>
>I agree with John.
>
>
I do to. Try 'Tuesday was being written about', then change the 'about'
to 'on' but keeping the meaning.

>Most English speakers massively overgenerate
>false negatives, when it comes to acceptability judgements.
>
>
Is this perculiar to English speakers?

--
Tristan.

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