Re: Genitive relationships (WAS: Construct States)

On 3-10-99, Padraic wrote: "Indeed, "White English" marks aspect; but the
point was that "Black English" does it in a similar fashion to the earlier
English example given, i.e., by using "be" for the habitual.  I'm a-writing
--> I ritin; I be a-writing --> I be ritin."

It is also archaic in some phonological ways, too: I understand the
original form the the verb "to ask" is something like "axan" (to 'aks');
Black English has maintained the older form while standard English dialects
have the nouveau "ask."

BB

*********
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