Date:  Thu, 14 Dec 1995 09:38:27 -0600

From:  "Kathleen M. O'Neill" <koneil1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UIC.EDU>

Subject: Re: Chances and 2nd per -s



Count me as one for taking "chances."



>Incidentally, anyone have the answer on the -s for "pays" and "takes",

>which all my ESL students correct to "pay" and "take" saying that

>the proverb contains 2 grammatical errors.



As a native south-sider of the Windy City,

I'm well accustomed to hearing the -s

"conjugation" for second person. Thus it

sounds rather natural to me. Possibly the

proverb was coined in an environment where

that was grammatical.



Examples:



If ya gots to go, we can go.

Ya knows what ya knows.

etc.



Incidentally, I have a suspicion that this is

related to the plural-esque "yas" that is used

with some modals and auxiliaries, where an -s

conjugation is "ungrammatical." Note: I say

"plural-esque" because it only looks like a

plural: it doesn't have to refer to more than

one person.



Examples:



Yas don't have to go if yas don't want to.

Are yas sure about that? (read "dat")

etc.





Hey, look! Another thread!



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