Date: Mon, 29 Jan 1996 06:52:58 -0600

From: "Salikoko S. Mufwene" s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UCHICAGO.EDU

Subject: Re: carried my cousin to the store



In message Mon, 29 Jan 1996 00:18:47 -0700,

Rudy Troike RTROIKE[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU writes:



That's an old one. The first time I heard anyone make that sort of comment

about it was from C. M. Wise, back about 1963, who said he had the same

reaction when he first moved to Louisiana. Having always heard and used

that form, what seemed funny to me was someone taking such a literal

interpretation of it. (...) But "carry" obviously

implies a vehicle, and that of course is exactly what one is doing,

carrying the other person in your conveyance (wagon, car, Lear jet) so

the person does not have to walk.



This is quite informative for me, although I have missed the question it

answers. "Carry" is used more or less the same way in Gullah and Jamaican

Creole. In both it may have the meaning of 'drive', either as 'drive a car'

("kyah ye kyah/cah home") or 'drive a person' ("kyah Betty home"--ignore the

possible meaning 'carry Betty's home').



Sali.

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Salikoko S. Mufwene s-mufwene[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uchicago.edu

University of Chicago 312-702-8531; FAX: 312-702-9861

Department of Linguistics

1010 East 59th Street

Chicago, IL 60637

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