So I'm in the store last week and...

Disa · Aug 9, 2008

I keep hearing people say these types of phrases on TV and on the radio-newscasters, talk show hosts, everyone. Why aren't they saying "So I WAS in the store last week"?

I know I've been out of the loop for a while and my own grammar/usage has gone out the window in a lot of areas, but what am I missing here?

Matera the Mad · Aug 9, 2008

Not missing anything -- it's the rest of'm who are a few cans short of 6 :tongue

Gawd, I'm glad I threw out the TV years ago. Maybe "like" is going out of style? We can hope.

veronie · Aug 9, 2008

This is called a "historic present." It may not be considered technically accurate in formal grammar by some, but it has a long history and is used in many languages. A historic present is a way to talk about past events using present-tense verbs. It is a storyteller's technique.

Historic Present

Disa · Aug 9, 2008

Well thank you for clarifying this, veronie.

I was thinking it was another irritating speech pattern brought on and glamorized by the "Friends" characters. As in, I'm SO NOT into that. Geez.

veronie · Aug 9, 2008

It's definitely one of those things that can be out of place and can sound lousy at times. I guess knowing is half the battle.

MattW · Aug 9, 2008

I'm bothered even more by starting a sentence with "so."

Not that it's incorrect, but it smacks of disregard for whatever the previous topic of discussion was, and that focus must now be moved where the speaker decides.

So I'm in the store last week and...

Disa

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

veronie

practical experience, FTW

Disa

veronie

practical experience, FTW

MattW

Company Man