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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004Never does ask my real name
Hello: Could you comment on this form: ----- Take-charge princess who she is, Brandy Alexander never DOES ask my real name. [Chuck Palaniuk, Invisible Monsters, Ch. 9, p. 107] ----- in comparison with the more usual (in my opinion): "... never asks my real name." Is "does" providing more accent/emphasis? What else? Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Is "does" providing more accent/emphasis? What else? It suggests that the storyteller is both amused and slightly put out by her bossiness, which is so self-centred that she isn't interested in what his real name might be. (Not knowing the book, I can only guess that she has given him a nickname and always uses that.) The present tense (where one might instead have had "she has never has asked") suggests that she always behaves in this way, almost as if they are always meeting for the first time. Alan Jones > > Hello: > > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > asked") suggests that she always behaves in this way, almost as if they are > always meeting for the first time. Aditional notes: I would have expected "take-charge princess that she is...". To me, that is the canonical form of this expression. The author could have said "...B A never asks my name". That would be plain statement that she has never asked and never will ask. In speaking, the plain statement can be decorated with emphasis on the never ("it bothers me that she has never done this even once"), or on the asks ("she just decides on her own what to call me, without consulting me"), or on both. The form with "does" is also emphatic, "she really should ask me". Gary > > > Could you comment on this form: > > > ----- [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > I would have expected "take-charge princess that she is...". To me, that > is the canonical form of this expression. Well the POV is not the author's (Palahniuk), but that of the girl telling the story. It might be that Palahniuk wants to suggest her limited grasp of the grammar. > The author could have said "...B A never asks my name". That would be > plain statement that she has never asked and never will ask. In [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > consulting me"), or on both. The form with "does" is also emphatic, "she > really should ask me". I love discussions of these verbal stresses, thus thank you. Marius Hancu > > ----- > > Take-charge princess who she is, Brandy Alexander never DOES ask my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > real name might be. (Not knowing the book, I can only guess that she has > given him a nickname and always uses that.) On Brandy Alexander being self-centered: right you are, she's an aspiring "supermodel":-), one gone bad ... On her not using the right name for the girl (it's a she, in effect), she consciously avoids any connection with girl's past, including her name, for reasons which I would not present here, as I do not want to spoil the book to anyone. > The present tense (where one might instead have had "she has never has > asked") suggests that she always behaves in this way, almost as if they are > always meeting for the first time. Thanks you. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks. > Marius Hancu Yes, "does" provides more accent/emphasis. Emotion, really -- in this sentence, I read frustration or irritation. The sentence should begin "Take-charge princess as she is." Cece In alt.english.usage on 10 Jan 2004 10:11:44 -0800 ceceliaarmstrong@yahoo.com (Cece) posted: >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >The sentence should begin "Take-charge princess as she is." In the US I think it would be "Take-charge princess that she is,...", (I don't know why) but since she's a human, a case could be made for 'who'. >Cece s/ meirman If you are emailing me please say if you are posting the same response. Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years Indianapolis, 7 years Chicago, 6 years Brooklyn NY 12 years Baltimore 20 years In alt.english.usage on Fri, 09 Jan 2004 22:46:28 -0500 Marius Hancu <DO_NOT_USE@videotron.ca> posted: >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >Is "does" providing more accent/emphasis? What else? It implies he thought she would, or thought she should. >Thanks. >Marius Hancu s/ meirman If you are emailing me please say if you are posting the same response. Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years Indianapolis, 7 years Chicago, 6 years Brooklyn NY 12 years Baltimore 20 years |
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