Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:52 pm Post subject: 'Excuse my interrupting...'
I'm currently reading an old book for advanced English learners (written in the early 60s) and I found certain type of expressions I haven't come across in latest editions of English books or conversations with native English speakers. Basically, it's expressions like "Excuse my interrupting you...', etc. The book is full of them. I believe that they are gramatically correct but still don't know whether this type of grammar construction is being used nowadays or it's just sort of old fashioned expressions.
I'll be grateful for clarifying this.
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: 'Excuse my interrupting...'
KSa wrote:
I'm currently reading an old book for advanced English learners (written in the early 60s) and I found certain type of expressions I haven't come across in latest editions of English books or conversations with native English speakers. Basically, it's expressions like "Excuse my interrupting you...', etc. The book is full of them. I believe that they are gramatically correct but still don't know whether this type of grammar construction is being used nowadays or it's just sort of old fashioned expressions.
I'll be grateful for clarifying this.
I'm also anxious for an explanation as to what is going on. It seems that "my" in this context is being replaced with "me". Same with "you" and "him", for instance, like writing "you/him being..." when I think it should be "your/his being...".
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:34 am Post subject:
It is a legitimate expression. I don't know whether it's considered old-fashioned or not; I use it, and not just in formal writing, but it may have fallen out of fashion in colloquial speech.
For a good explanation with examples and exceptions, click on this link
It is a legitimate expression. I don't know whether it's considered old-fashioned or not; I use it, and not just in formal writing, but it may have fallen out of fashion in colloquial speech.
For a good explanation with examples and exceptions, click on this link
and scroll down to "Using Possessives With Gerunds".
I suspected it to be old-fashioned because the book was written long time ago.
Another example from this book: "would you mind my opening the window?" I checked in my coursebooks and this expression was only used in this ways:
"Would you mind if I opened the window?"
or
"Do you mind if I open the window"?
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:11 am Post subject:
At what point does something become old-fashioned, though? I use that construction, as does my roommate, who's five years younger than I am (making her only 51). How young do you have to be before the things you do and say are considered modern? Besides, we haven't heard from any of the other native English speakers.
At what point does something become old-fashioned, though? I use that construction, as does my roommate, who's five years younger than I am (making her only 51). How young do you have to be before the things you do and say are considered modern? Besides, we haven't heard from any of the other native English speakers.
Well, my assumption was based upon the fact that I simply never came across this kind of grammar construction before. Since the book was written in the early 1960s, the first idea that sprang to my mind was that it is not used any more. This was of course mere supposition with no intention to offend anyone.
For example, when I watch Polish films (or read books) made (or written) in 1950s or 1960s or to some degree even 1970s, I see how many expressions used by the actors (characters) are not used any more in "modern" speech! I don't know, maybe Polish is evolving more rapidly than English? There are of course people who still use certain type of "old" constructions and we call it "old-fashioned" - but it never has a negative or disrespectful meaning.
"Excuse my interrupting you", would usually be said like this:
Excuse my interruption
OR
Pardon the interruption
So yeah, I would surmise that these examples are old-fashioned. If you would like to see more literary examples of old-fashioned speech, you should read some books by John Steinbeck like East of Eden. It's full of 'em. _________________ Operation Northwoods - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods
Favorite languages = English/Spanish
Followed by Italian/French/Dutch
So yeah, I would surmise that these examples are old-fashioned.
Interesting.
They are not really considered that old-fashioned here. Many people use that construction here, including myself. I usually use that construction in more formal situations. But sometimes I use it informally. Like:
"I hope you don't mind my bringing a few DVDs for tonight?"
"His constant moaning annoys me!"
"Look, I don't think your being rude will exactly help the situation." _________________ Zoriona tximelata bat bezalakoa da: bilatzen baduzu, hegaldatuko besterik ez da, baina gelditzen bazara, dator eta zure sorbaldan jartzen da.
Me either. Isn't it just a case of making the verb a gerund? (A gerund being an -ing verb used as a noun -- like the running of the bulls.)
True, I can see why others may think it looks terribly ungrammatical at first glance, but we use it all the time -- "How does my getting a raise entitle you to a larger allowance?" "Since when does my working at night mean that you don't still have to do your homework after dinner and be in bed at a reasonable hour?" _________________ An apple a day....
I've recently read an article written by a teenage girl. She says:["Being called Imogen isn’t the best thing in the world. It has resulted in my being called Imagina, Imagine..." _________________ Az alvástól megéhezem. Az evéstől elálmosodom. Az élet szép.
I've recently read an article written by a teenage girl. She says:["Being called Imogen isn’t the best thing in the world. It has resulted in my being called Imagina, Imagine..."
When I was 15 I wrote an essay for my English class and I wrote: "....has resulted in my receiving an accident that could have been avoided."
:) _________________ Zoriona tximelata bat bezalakoa da: bilatzen baduzu, hegaldatuko besterik ez da, baina gelditzen bazara, dator eta zure sorbaldan jartzen da.
I have impression that some of you consider the usage of old-fashioned words or expressions at least inappropriate. I love old-fashioned speech with its richness and I find the tendency observed in the evolution of modern languages (slang, simplifications used in sms, excessive usage of emoticons, etc.) rather dissapointing.
I am proud when someone says: "Oh, how sophisticated words you are using, like my grandmother before WWII!"
I am proud when someone says: "Oh, how sophisticated words you are using, like my grandmother before WWII!"
Me, too, sometimes.
KSa wrote:
I find the tendency observed in the evolution of modern languages (slang, simplifications used in sms, excessive usage of emoticons, etc.) rather dissapointing
I h8 txtspk - I sometimes write Plains Hungarian when I'm chatting with my mother (she's from the Plains) or writing Gypsy Hungarian (!) when chatting with my Hungarian roommate, but I'd hardly ever write in textspeak. However, I have nothing against
As for slang, it has always been around and probably we regard yesterday's slang as neutral, normal speech today. Old and middle-aged people have always complained (even in the ancient times) that youngsters couldn't speak properly, thus language would deteriorate. Of course, it isn't true. Slang is fine as long it is used when it's appropriate. It's bad, though, to use slang in situations when formal language is required. _________________ Az alvástól megéhezem. Az evéstől elálmosodom. Az élet szép.
I have impression that some of you consider the usage of old-fashioned words or expressions at least inappropriate. I love old-fashioned speech with its richness and I find the tendency observed in the evolution of modern languages (slang, simplifications used in sms, excessive usage of emoticons, etc.) rather dissapointing.
I am proud when someone says: "Oh, how sophisticated words you are using, like my grandmother before WWII!"
Well, I don't know that it's really that we consider them inappropriate or old-fashioned by choice. We're just being honest. Some words or turns of phrase really have fallen by the wayside and are no longer used, for whatever reason. Some expressions really are dated now, and we only associate them with certain time periods when they were popular. Those kinds of things aren't usually something we have control over as individuals.
If we no longer call a "hansom cab" to come pick us up, that's because well, horse-drawn vehicles aren't very common anymore. (Of course, we still use "cab", just not "hansom"! And cab drivers are still called "hacks", even though that word once referred to the horse, not the driver!)
But we still yell "shotgun" when we want to ride in the front passenger seat of a car, even though "riding shotgun" is a holdover from stagecoach days, when the driver of the stagecoach, since he had his hands full with the reins, usually had another person sit up top with him with a shotgun at the ready.
So it's not that we "don't like" words or phrases that are old-fashioned; it's just that some have been retained and some have not. _________________ An apple a day....
Location: San Francisco, Noord-Kalifornië, Noord-Amerika
Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 1:08 am Post subject:
In my first response to the question about whether using the possessive + gerund combination was old-fashioned, I allowed for the possibility that it might be. That was because I have very little conversation with young people, and I didn't want to make an assumption. However, after reading the responses here, my conclusion is that it is not an old-fashioned construction.
KSa, in the US we often throw in old-fashioned expressions for color or humor, but this construction isn't an example of that.
I have impression that some of you consider the usage of old-fashioned words or expressions at least inappropriate. I love old-fashioned speech with its richness and I find the tendency observed in the evolution of modern languages (slang, simplifications used in sms, excessive usage of emoticons, etc.) rather dissapointing.
I am proud when someone says: "Oh, how sophisticated words you are using, like my grandmother before WWII!"
They don't think you're a weirdo when you talk like that? I like to use old-fashioned words and expressions sometimes too, but mostly for fun and sometimes for color, and in a way so that people understand that I'm not being really serious. You know, you should watch Deadwood. The language (and the lack of music) almost makes it seem like you're watching an old play rather than a TV-show. I haven't seen that many episodes as it runs super-late, but when I have, I've always wished that my English was better.
They don't think you're a weirdo when you talk like that?
No, because the "old-fashioned" language I use is still used by many, usually elderly, people. The fact that it's also used by elderly people doesn't make me weird, fortunately. Of course I don't use it all the time, only when I want to express my opposition towards progressing simplification of the language.
If I was using, let's say, XVII-century language regularly (what I sometimes do for fun) - then I would be considered a weirdo, that's true.
P.S. They sometimes call me a weirdo but for some other reasons
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Join! (free) 
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
