--- Ray Brown <ray.brown@...> wrote:
> > though a tad less so when it means "am not"
> > as opposed to
> > "are not" or "is not", there being no
> > contraction of the relevant kind
> > available for "am not". I have seen "amn't"
> > in writing in books written
> > in England, but find it hard to believe that
> > anybody ever actually said that.
>
> I've heard it - from a pedantic Scots woman
> [amn=t]
Scots is, of course, a different matter entirely!
> >> Dunno how old "dunno" is, but it was
> >> certainly already in common currency
> >> this side of the Pond 50 years ago or more.
>
> > Where does the stress fall? More common here
> > in allegro speech is ["AId@now].
>
> Same stress here if the pronoun's included.
> Often in answer to a question it's simply
> ["dVn@w].
Always on the last syllable hereabouts. Even when
suffixed to the pronoun. Stressing the pronoun
sounds vèry strange to me!
> > My mother frequently skips her subject
> > pronouns in written notes. Always
> > has. (See, I just dropped a subject
> > pronoun.) It drives my husband
> > slightly nuts, but I'm used to it.
>
> Good for your mother! Often do it myself - and
> not just in notes :)
Frequently for me. The whole family does, as far
as I can tell from written notes and letters.
Padraic.
=====
- Per y celles ke 'n al noef chluys feronte y vruxt la mezer; a Ddon et Dde lor
gouertus, renothe y nusteor pheticièn
- A Ddon ten mezer!
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