Date:  Fri, 29 Jul 1994 11:15:47 -0500

From:  Alan Slotkin <ARS7950[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]TNTECH.EDU>

Subject: Re: Forrest Gump



I'm not sure what a-prefixing was like in Tennessee, especially around

Jamestown, in the early 1900s, but I do know that when I moved from South

Carolina to Cookeville (about 50 mi. from Alvin York's home) the amount of

a-prefixing I encountered was incredible. The Welcome Wagon person, for

example, said that she'd been a-drivin' all day, was a-fixin' to go to a

church supper that night, etc. There wasn't a sentence that didn't have an

a-prefixed pres. part. in it.



Alan Slotkin

ARS7950[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]TNTECH.EDU