Re: USAGE: Circumfixes

=?win-1250?Q?Tam?s_Racsk??= scripsit:

>   A further cause of my incomprehension was that the "ain't" was
> asterisked always in phrase "ain't do nothing" during the
> discussion, not the incorrect "*do".
It's conventional to always asterisk an incorrect, unknown, or hypothetical
example at the beginning, not at the point of trouble.

>   I simply used the above as an example for double negative in
> English. Its actual form was incorrect (not considering the AAVE),
> but the content behind the form was correct.
COntent *is* form, especially on this mailing list.

>   I think it would be sometimes helpful if the Anglophone list
> members would consider the essence of my text and not of its poor
> English.
The difficulty with that is that your English (which is all we know of
you) is excellent -- indeed, I spotted only three errors in your posting,
one of which was an obvious omitted word and the other an omitted letter,
both of which look like mer tpographical errors rather than errors in
English.  Even the slightly odd use of "On the contrary" doesn't scream
"non-native speaker" unless one is looking for evidence.

We have no way of knowing that you aren't to be taken at your word when
you say you have heard something.

--
But you, Wormtongue, you have done what you could for your true master.  Some
reward you have earned at least.  Yet Saruman is apt to overlook his bargains.
I should advise you to go quickly and remind him, lest he forget your faithful
service.  --Gandalf             John Cowan <jcowan@...>