Morrison: Had a aunt move out there

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Marius Hancu - 19 Jan 2010 02:27 GMT

Hello:

This
"had a [short infinitive]"
e.g.
"Had a aunt move out there"
seems standard, isn't it?

Is it standard in both AmE/BrE?

---
[Milkman travels around the US]

"I guess you ain't from here'bouts."

"No. Michigan."

"Sure 'nough? Had a aunt move out there. Flint. You know Flint?"

Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 254
---
--
Thanks.
Marius Hanc

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Evan Kirshenbaum - 19 Jan 2010 02:40 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Is it standard in both AmE/BrE?

It's a non-standard (but not uncommon) way of saying "I had an aunt
who moved out there". It wouldn't strike me as an unusual reduction,
although I think that it might be more common to say "moved" rather
than "move", which might well be more common among black speakers.

> ---
> [Milkman travels around the US]
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 254

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Jerry Friedman - 19 Jan 2010 04:56 GMT

> > Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> It's a non-standard (but not uncommon) way of saying "I had an aunt
> who moved out there". It wouldn't strike me as an unusual reduction,

We discussed this a little last year.

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.usage.english/browse_frm/thread/57f6abc576876d41/

See messages 33-43.

> although I think that it might be more common to say "moved" rather
> than "move", which might well be more common among black speakers.

Really? I'd have said the opposite about "moved" and "move" in a
sentence like that.

> > ---
> > [Milkman travels around the US]
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> > Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 254

--
Jerry Friedman

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Marius Hancu - 19 Jan 2010 17:35 GMT

> > This
> > "had a [short infinitive]"
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> although I think that it might be more common to say "moved" rather
> than "move", which might well be more common among black speakers.

That's what I thought. Thank you both for the confirmation.

> > ---
> > [Milkman travels around the US]
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> > Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 254

Marius Hancu

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tony cooper - 19 Jan 2010 04:36 GMT

>Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
>"Sure 'nough? Had a aunt move out there. Flint. You know Flint?"

I'd us "an", not "a". I find it difficult to say "a aunt".

(I pronounce the word "ant", BTW. Some say "awnt". Either takes the
"an".)

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Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

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Rich Ulrich - 19 Jan 2010 20:48 GMT

>>Hello:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
>I'd us "an", not "a". I find it difficult to say "a aunt".

That one did not leap out at me. Maybe I've heard it before?

I find it just as difficult to avoid saying "a nant" - which
is something that would bother me to have said. That makes
"a ant" seem more reasonable.

Has anybody else noticed President Obama improperly
using "a" instead of "an"? - It occurs to me that maybe I
have noticed that in his off-the-cuff remarks because he
doesn't break up his hesitations with a lot of hemming and
hawing.

>(I pronounce the word "ant", BTW. Some say "awnt". Either takes the
>"an".)

ant.

Signature

Rich Ulrich

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010

Morrison: Had a aunt move out there