Do you have anything to eat ?

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#187318 - 10/15/09 05:18 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Zed]
Ilango stranger Registered: 03/12/08 Posts: 7	Thanks Zed. A part of the conversation: Person 1: The students are on strike! Why? Person 2: About ten days ago, our principal died, and someone else was appointed in her place. The students want the principal’s daughter to become the principal. Person 1: Your principal’s daughter? How is she qualified? She’s still in school, isn’t she? Person 2: Hey, when a politician dies, they see to it that his son, daughter or wife takes his place. Nobody talks about qualifications, then. Person 1: Listen, I’m in no mood to argue. I need my shut-eye. Now, please leave. Person 2: Do you have anything to eat? Person 1: LEAVE! Edited by Ilango (10/15/09 05:21 AM)
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#187319 - 10/15/09 05:45 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: BranShea]
Ilango stranger Registered: 03/12/08 Posts: 7	Thanks BranShea. Ilango.
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#187320 - 10/15/09 06:29 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: tsuwm]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 12381	Originally Posted By: tsuwm It is not generally accepted as good English, however. [EA] Do I look like someone who generally accepts? And remember, this is from a dictionary that condones the use of an objective case plural pronoun in the subjective singular.
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#187321 - 10/15/09 06:45 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Faldage]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 12381	Checking out the Bible reference, the context there is that Jesus has just appeared to the disciples and they expressed some doubt, thinking that they were seeing a ghost. Jesus asks them if they have something to eat and, when they produce a piece of broiled fish, eats it, proving he is corporeal. There was a play on this in the old comic strip Pogo when they think Howland Owl was a ghost. Someone suggests running a red hot poker through him. Owl notes that a ghost might scream as if in pain, just to fool them. He goes on to say that the only sure test is to feed him. If he holds the food he's not a ghost. This, however, doesn't seem to match the context given by Ilango.
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#187322 - 10/15/09 07:50 AM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: tsuwm]
zmjezhd Pooh-Bah Registered: 08/13/05 Posts: 2270 Loc: R'lyeh	It is not generally accepted as good English, however. "Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die." [Deut. 17:5] (link) There are many examples of they used with singular antecedents. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Austen used it; even the King James translation of the Bible used it.
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#187323 - 10/15/09 08:11 AM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: Ilango]
Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/24/02 Posts: 6596 Loc: Vermont	Originally Posted By: Ilango Thanks Zed. A part of the conversation: Person 1: The students are on strike! Why? Person 2: About ten days ago, our principal died, and someone else was appointed in her place. The students want the principal’s daughter to become the principal. Person 1: Your principal’s daughter? How is she qualified? She’s still in school, isn’t she? Person 2: Hey, when a politician dies, they see to it that his son, daughter or wife takes his place. Nobody talks about qualifications, then. Person 1: Listen, I’m in no mood to argue. I need my shut-eye. Now, please leave. Person 2: Do you have anything to eat? Person 1: LEAVE! sounds like a normal teenager to me. I don't think it means anything beyond, "ok, I'm done with this conversation now. do you have anything to eat?"
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#187324 - 10/15/09 09:13 AM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: Buffalo Shrdlu]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 3387 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	Quote: Person 1: Listen, I’m in no mood to argue. I need my shut-eye. Now, please leave. Person 2: Do you have anything to eat? Person 1: LEAVE! It could also be a phrase that should function as a distraction, so as to temper Person 1.'s mood. If so, it did not work since Person 2. is forced to leave. ( I would be pleased to know what "I need my shut-eye" means.)
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#187325 - 10/15/09 09:16 AM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: BranShea]
zmjezhd Pooh-Bah Registered: 08/13/05 Posts: 2270 Loc: R'lyeh	I would be pleased to know what "I need my shut-eye" I need my sleep.
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#187326 - 10/15/09 10:21 AM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: zmjezhd]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 3387 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	Ah, of course. I read it like I need my closed eye and heck what for? Ah, it's a active verb.
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#187330 - 10/15/09 01:17 PM Re: good enough for Moe and theta [Re: zmjezhd]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 9400 Loc: this too shall pass	Originally Posted By: zmjezhd It is not generally accepted as good English, however. "Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die." [Deut. 17:5] (link) There are many examples of they used with singular antecedents. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Austen used it; even the King James translation of the Bible used it. I didn't read that *particular COED extract as having anything to say against the singular they -- only regarding theyself.
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