Thanks for your answers, Ray. They are all pretty good.
I didn't elect to reply to only the following one because I thought
the others weren't as good, nor because I thought this one was more
representative; it's just that (1) it contains a question from you
and (2) I have an answer to that question.
---In conlang@yahoogroups.com, R A Brown <ray@...> wrote:
>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.
>
>>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!
>
(Neat! I'd have never suspected.)
> As for "somewhy" - I've never encountered it.
>
> > 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.
I think it might reasonbly used to replace "for some reason or other"
or "for some unknown reason" where these phrases are often used in
English.
Somewhy the dog is barking.
The horses are frightened somewhy.
The cat is running somewhy from room to room.
Somewhy British people drive on the lefthand side of the road.
>>Or what about "anywhen" or "anywhy"?
>
> "Anywhen" still alive in my native county (I now live in exile in
> Surrey :)
Wow! or words to that effect.
[snip]
>> Because "somewhat" does _not_ mean "something", does it?
>
> It does (or did) in dialect.
Color me "surprised"!
Thanks, Ray.
-----
eldin