Evolution Strikes Again

rugcat · Oct 11, 2007

Tracing the evolution of English verbs over 1,200 years -- from the Old English of "Beowulf" to the modern English of "The Princess Diaries" -- researchers have found that the majority of irregular verbs are going the way of Grendel, falling to the linguistic equivalent of natural selection.

Darwin's contemporaries in linguistics, however, were not evolutionists and adhered to quasi-mystical ideas to explain language development.

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-verbs11oct11,1,3635612.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

joetrain · Oct 11, 2007

i'm for bringing back holp.

whistlelock · Oct 11, 2007

When'd the last time anyone besought anything, really?

wordmonkey · Oct 11, 2007

I thought the English Language sprang fully-formed, by intelligent-linguistic-design, from the King James Bible?

Tiger · Oct 11, 2007

whistlelock said:
When'd the last time anyone besought anything, really?

I don't think I've ever even said, "It is I, Tiger."

Joe270 · Oct 11, 2007

Medievalist is gonna be pissed.

Bartholomew · Oct 11, 2007

We have regular verbs?

Celia Cyanide · Oct 11, 2007

Tiger said:
I don't think I've ever even said, "It is I, Tiger."

That's unfortunate. You should.

SpookyWriter · Oct 11, 2007

Isn't this a grammar for grasshoppers thread? Hey wake up mod! Move this thread to OP where it belongs. I can't be troubled tonight trying to consummate a noun while I'm busy adverbing verbs.

Dawno · Oct 11, 2007

I'm not moving it. It's a relief from the rest of the stuff around here.

blacbird · Oct 11, 2007

Dawno said:
I'm not moving it. It's a relief from the rest of the stuff around here.

What, for instance? I was under the impression that this forum was the place to post things there was no necessity to have a relief from.

caw

joetrain · Oct 11, 2007

new research ain't a current event?

we might as well bring back ain't while we're on the subject.

whistlelock · Oct 12, 2007

I ain't having none of that now, ya hear!

okay, I gave y'all long enough.

Tiger · Oct 12, 2007

Celia Cyanide said:
That's unfortunate. You should.

You do?

Dawno · Oct 12, 2007

blacbird said:
What, for instance? I was under the impression that this forum was the place to post things there was no necessity to have a relief from.

caw

This is the Politics and Current Events forum. The original post is a "current event" in that it is current news.

As for the rest of my comment, I'm not sure why you felt compelled to react to it - does it really matter? After all the heated debate about Theocracy and is a fetus a parasite...well, I thought it was a relief to bring up something rather different.

Celia Cyanide · Oct 12, 2007

Tiger said:
You do?

Yes, but Celia Cyanide saying, "It is I, Tiger," is pretty confusing, so I was hoping you could take over for me...

Bird of Prey · Oct 12, 2007

Dawno said:
This is the Politics and Current Events forum. The original post is a "current event" in that it is current news.

As for the rest of my comment, I'm not sure why you felt compelled to react to it - does it really matter? After all the heated debate about Theocracy and is a fetus a parasite...well, I thought it was a relief to bring up something rather different.

Because PC & E should stand for petulant, contentious and exasperating?

Dawno · Oct 12, 2007

well, BoP, there's de facto and de jure...

TheGaffer · Oct 13, 2007

Dawno said:
As for the rest of my comment, I'm not sure why you felt compelled to react to it - does it really matter? After all the heated debate about Theocracy and is a fetus a parasite...well, I thought it was a relief to bring up something rather different.

We're trying to conform to the room we're in, and get argumentative.

Evolution Strikes Again

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

joetrain

blank

whistlelock

Whiskey Rebel

wordmonkey

ook

Tiger

AKA: "Gums of Steel"

Joe270

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Celia Cyanide

Joker Groupie

SpookyWriter

Dawno

Shiny!

blacbird

joetrain

blank

whistlelock

Whiskey Rebel

Tiger

AKA: "Gums of Steel"

Dawno

Shiny!

Celia Cyanide

Joker Groupie

Bird of Prey

Benefactor Member

Dawno

Shiny!

TheGaffer

Docking Bay 94