Grammar peeve - "DH doesn't let"

Dandelion1

Sat, Apr 20 2013, 10:29 pm

Capitalchick wrote:

candyheart wrote:

The grammatical explanation has to do with what are called "subcategorization frames." All verbs have rules attached to them, which govern what types of phrases, if any, must directly follow them. Some verbs (called intransitive) can stand alone. "He slept." Some verbs (transitive) require that a noun phrase (or another type of phrase) follow, as an object: "She met (the girl). In other words, the verb "to meet" can never stand alone. You couldn't say "She met" the way you can say "She ran." Some verbs are ditransitive and require even more: "He put (the ball) (in the bag)" in this case the verb "put" subcategorizes for a noun phrase (the ball) and a prepositional phrase (in the bag). Which is why kids say things that sound kid-like, such as, "I put the ball," or, "I gave the book." They just haven't got the whole rule worked out yet. In English you cannot just "put." You must put something on/in/near something else.

The verb "to let" is ditransitive and subcategorizes for a noun phrase and a verb phrase. "I let" or "He lets" sounds somewhat kid-like because the subcategorization frame is incomplete. The grammatically required construct is, for example: "My dh doesn't let (+noun phrase) me (+verb phrase) go." To leave off one or both of the phrases required by the ditransitive verb results in a grammatical simplification which will sound at best extremely colloquial, or at worst, immature or childish.

Wow. No one has ever voluntarily listened to me drone on about this stuff before. Thanks, seriously! Very Happy

Real. American. Hero.
Wink

Bravo.
That was impressive.
Just out of curiosity, what do you do for a living?

Sorry to be mia for so long.... was busy contemplating starting a thread entitled "I'm a grammar nerd. Ask me anything!"

Just wanted to say thank you tho.... (to answer your question I studied linguistics and I'm a speech pathologist). Don't get much opportunity to really discuss the finer points of grammar though. I kind of forgot how much I enjoy it Smile

zaq

Fri, Jun 14 2013, 12:10 am

Capitalchick wrote:

Let me put it to you this way...
Would you ever say "My daughter doesn't let"?

No, because you have authority over your child, and so your daughter not wanting you to do something, would not cause you to say "She doesn't let". You would be clear - "My daughter has a hard time being outside when it's cold, so I decided not to take the kids to the park on Monday". You wouldn't say "We didn't go to the park because my daughter doesn't let".

If you don't use that phrasing about your kids, then why use it in reference to your husband? Are you your husband's child? No, you're his spouse. Spouses discuss and persuade one another. We don't forbid one another...

Actually, I've heard lots of mothers say "my dc doesn't let"...."DD doesn't let me talk on the phone...ds doesn't let me walk out of the room...dc don't let me go to the bathroom by myself"...true, what they really mean is "I don't have what it takes to put up with my dc tantrums when I talk on the phone/walk out of the room/go to the bathroom" but this is exactly how they phrase it.

imasoftov

Fri, Jun 14 2013, 6:20 am

The alot

Quote:

But there is one grammatical mistake that I particularly enjoy encountering. It has become almost fun for me to come across people who take the phrase "a lot" and condense it down into one word, because when someone says "alot," this is what I imagine:

The Alot is an imaginary creature that I made up to help me deal with my compulsive need to correct other people's grammar. It kind of looks like a cross between a bear, a yak and a pug, and it has provided hours of entertainment for me in a situation where I'd normally be left feeling angry and disillusioned with the world.

For example, when I read the sentence "I care about this alot," this is what I imagine: