where won't nobody

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Marius Hancu - 13 Jan 2010 18:42 GMT

Hello:

This seems dialect, doesn't it?
"where won't nobody"

---
Esther's just for the night, for the dark, where won't nobody see you
getting
your holy self all dirtied up with Esther.

Go tell it on the mountain‎ - Page 153
James Baldwin - Fiction - 1985 - 221 pages
http://tinyurl.com/yatkjfo
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--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Jerry Friedman - 13 Jan 2010 19:37 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> getting
> your holy self all dirtied up with Esther.

Yes, "won't nobody" is a normal AAVE equivalent for "nobody will".
Cf. AAVE "don't nobody".

--
Jerry Friedman

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Percival P. Cassidy - 13 Jan 2010 21:27 GMT

>> This seems dialect, doesn't it?
>> "where won't nobody"
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>> getting
>> your holy self all dirtied up with Esther.

> Yes, "won't nobody" is a normal AAVE equivalent for "nobody will".
> Cf. AAVE "don't nobody".

I don't know what "AAVE" means, but the construction seems to be
parallel to the wall plaque reading "Ain't Mama happy, ain't nobody happy."

Perce

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Leslie Danks - 13 Jan 2010 21:49 GMT

[...]

> I don't know what "AAVE" means,

You need this, then:

<http://www.acronymfinder.com/>

[...]

Signature

Les (BrE)
Just trying to help

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010

where won't nobody