Comments | mems_derynicat: Grammar grumble

mems_derynicat

Grammar grumble

Sep 12, 2009 12:24

Things that have been bugging me recently :

since when has wonder become synonymous with wander? I ran in to this AGAIN today for about the 6th time! One author really liked this word and used it about 25 times in a 10 page story! "He wondered into the room" is just WRONG!
what is up with was + sat? The sentence "He was sat on the bench. " Is ( Read more... )

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Comments 4

aurora_84 September 12 2009, 15:37:59 UTC

what is up with was + sat?
That kinda sounds like a briticism?

mems_derynicat September 12 2009, 15:48:38 UTC

I guess it must be, but I can't find it in any of my grammar books, and that structure doesn't work with any other verb I can think of in the sense of was + past participle...

I'm not a grammar specialist, but that just seems odd to me...

dragontatt September 13 2009, 16:27:45 UTC

I freaking hate 'was sat' almost as much as I hate 'you wanna come with?'

Come with what? Or who even?

ci5rod September 14 2009, 00:21:48 UTC

"Was sat" should really be "Was seated", describing position without the sense of continuity "sitting" would give. It's a common enough usage along with "was stood", some kind of faked-up gerundive I think. I'll agree it's a bit jarring and unlovely, though.