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Discussion Groups / British English / June 2008"them" vs. "these/those"
Hi everybody! I am new here, and I probably ask a question which has already been answered in this newsgroup. Sorry for that. My question is: could someone give me some references/links where to find more information about the use of "them" for "these/those" (is it something specifically used in the USA?) and especially the origin of it? I am aware that it belongs to the nonstandard speech, though. Many thanks in advance. Gourbi > Hi everybody! > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Gourbi Hi Gourbi! I was hoping someone else will answer your question in a more authentic way. Since there doesn't seem to have been a response let me risk putting forward the following dialogue from the movie "My fair lady". In the scene where Eiza Dolittle gets mad at Professor Higgins she says "..and you can look for someone else to fetch you them slippers every morning!" and Professor Higgins responds, " those slippers..!" (And mind you, Eliza is not an American) If you want further clarification please give me a specific situation in which you have to decide whether it is more appropriate to use "them" or "those". Hi Paul! Thank you for taking the risk of an answer. The example you mentioned is exactly the kind I had in mind. I'd like to get more information about the origin of this usage, similar to the usage of "ain't" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain%27t). I wouldn't use the word "them" instead of "these/those" myself, unless I'd like to make a joke. But as I am not a native speaker, it probably wouldn't work, anyway. Best Gourbi >> Hi everybody! >> [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > in which you have to decide whether it is more appropriate to use > "them" or "those". > Hi Paul! > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > I'd like to make a joke. But as I am not a native speaker, it probably > wouldn't work, anyway. My take on it would be that as an adjective, "them" is poor grammar and "these/those" should be used. "Them" is quite properly used as a pronoun in the objective case, although "these/those" can also be used to give emphasis or specificity. Cheers Tony  SignatureTony Mountifield Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org |
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