Quote:
... Funny -- "Medicle College" ...
My Sister The English Major (z"l) explained to me that what we now think of as "Standard English" is an outgrowth of widespread taxpayer-supported public schooling; if everyone was to be taught English, we would first need to agree on what it was/not, at the very least on a state-by-state level.
Therefor, what looks comicle to us (so to key) might very well have been a common usage at the time.
It is for this same reason that the placement(s) of commas in a certain amendment to The Constitution make for good cannon fodder in That Debate, but to students of language & history any comma-based argument is known to be weak to the point of irrelevance.
It is also the reason why "Jamie & me" is just as inherently valid a usage as "Jamie & I"; though it grates the ears of those of us taught proper English, there is nothing in the structure of the language, or in the nature of these particular words, that supports an argument in favor of "& I" over "& me".
The "rules" of "standard" English were set down at one point in time; it was rather like trying to freeze a river, and had about as much, well, you know, like, luck.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Posted 10/07/2014 09:56 am
