Re: THEORY: NATLANGS: Pro-Forms

Eldin Raigmore wrote:

>
> Does anybody besides me _ever_ use "somewhen" and/or "somewhy"?
"somewhen" was quite normal in everyone's speech where I was brought up
- and AFAIK it is still going strong in Sussex, UK.

As for "somewhy" - I've never encountered it.

> Granted, perhaps, "sometime" _might_ almost substitute for "somewhen";
Yes, I had to get used to using 'sometime' when I got to University.
Although we were told at school that 'somewhen' was not 'normal
English', we didn't believe it because we heard people using the word
every day!

but
> is there a reasonable substitute for "somewhy" that is anywhere near as
> economical?
No, there isn't. But how would it be used?

"Why are you doing that?"
"Somewhy"
???

Surely the response would be something like "Just because" or something
less polite like "Leave me alone!" or "Get lost!" etc.

> Or what about "anywhen" or "anywhy"?
"Anywhen" still alive in my native county (I now live in exile in Surrey  :)

But if you have these, then why not "nowhen" (quite acceptable) and
"nowhy" (= for no reason)?

[snip]
> And aren't "somewho", "anywho", "everywho", "nowho" a little odd, at least?
Yes.

> Are "somebody, someone, anybody, anyone, everybody, everyone, nobody,
> noone" good substitutes for these?
Yes.

[snip]
>
> Because "somewhat" does _not_ mean "something", does it?
It does (or did) in dialect.

--
Ray
==================================
ray@carolandray.plus.com
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
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"A mind which thinks at its own expense will always
interfere with language."         J.G. Hamann, 1760

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