Do you have anything to eat ?

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#187288 - 10/14/09 03:25 AM Do you have anything to eat ?
Ilango stranger Registered: 03/12/08 Posts: 7	Hi, Can any one let me know what "Do you have anything to eat?" refers to? Thanks in advance. Regards, Ilango.
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#187293 - 10/14/09 07:27 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Ilango]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 12381	Dunno about what it refers to, but it could be a request for food by someone unable to feed themself or an expression of concern for someone who appears to be hungry and possibly not able to feed themself.
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#187301 - 10/14/09 12:25 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Faldage]
dalehileman Pooh-Bah Registered: 07/10/05 Posts: 1719 Loc: Apple Valley, CA, USA	Apparently Jesus said it http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&a...amp;safe=images _________________________ dalehileman
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#187303 - 10/14/09 12:32 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Faldage]
AnnaStrophic Carpal Tunnel Registered: 03/15/00 Posts: 6481 Loc: lower upstate New York	themself?!
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#187305 - 10/14/09 01:19 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: AnnaStrophic]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 3387 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	I think we recently had a long thread about this gender-singular-plural- related issue. Hisself , herself, itsself themself.. uh-ves???
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#187306 - 10/14/09 01:26 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: dalehileman]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 3387 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	Many people have asked that question. It's a very common question. I ask it almost daily when someone leaves my house to go somewhere a bit far.
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#187311 - 10/14/09 09:38 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: AnnaStrophic]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 12381	Originally Posted By: AnnaStrophic themself?! Yeah. [T]hemself. It's singular. You wouldn't say yourselves with a singular you; why would you say themselves with a singular they?
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#187312 - 10/14/09 09:49 PM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Faldage]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 9400 Loc: this too shall pass	huh. I found this in the [online] Compact OED: themself • pronoun third person sing. informal used instead of ‘himself’ or ‘herself’ to refer to a person of unspecified sex. — USAGE The standard reflexive form corresponding to they and them is themselves, as in they can do it themselves. The singular form themself, first recorded in the 14th century, has re-emerged in recent years to correspond to the singular gender-neutral use of they, as in this is the first step in helping someone to help themself. It is not generally accepted as good English, however. [EA]
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#187313 - 10/15/09 02:41 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: tsuwm]
Zed Pooh-Bah Registered: 08/27/02 Posts: 2031 Loc: British Columbia, Canada	Back to the original question: Can you give us the context of the question please, Ilango? And Brannie, is that a standard line to say when someone leaves (like God be with you) or are you checking to see if they got their lunch out of the fridge?
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#187315 - 10/15/09 03:01 AM Re: Do you have anything to eat ? [Re: Zed]
BranShea Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/06 Posts: 3387 Loc: Netherlands, the Hague	As (good you asked for it), we have no context for this sentence it also could mean this ordinary, hundreds of times repeted prove of care when f.i. a child takes off for a day of sports. Yes, a basic way of caring.
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