Potentially, once again, an example of two peoples separated by a common language

[thismaz]

I've been caught in the past, when ranting about grammar. I've been informed that what I saw as an irritating construction that knocked me out of a story, is actually a perfectly valid construction elsewhere.

So, I'm once again asking, instead of complaining.

Does this read as a valid sentence construction to you?

---- He could imagine a place where he and X were stood, side by side.

or this one -

--- They were sat on the floor.

or this -

--- The stone had sank in the water



Right *looks at clock* I'd better get off to work. Thank you for any thoughts. I'll be back tomorrow morning.

Comments

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

I've done some searching and 'snuck' appears to be a dialect word in some parts of the States, probably those parts inhabited by banjo-playing Republicans who do bad things to canoeists, that has become accepted as standard over there fairly recently through their repeated misuse drowning out the correct grammar of them thar pinko liberals with book-larnin'.

It's all the fault of the French. If their navy hadn't intervened in the American War of Independence, which was none of their business, the bloody colonials would have lost, George Washington could have been quietly and decently shot (to quote Harry Harrison from his alternate universe SF novel 'A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!'), and 'snuck' and 'gotten' would have been stamped out.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*laughs*
Ignoring the racial slur against people who say 'snuck', I had a conversation recently with another LJ-er, who pointed out that 'gotten' is dialect usage in parts of Northern England and Scotland, which is very true. American English uses many words and forms that are no longer used in British English, but were once. For example, my mother was taught at an English school to spell 'realise' and related words with a 'z'.
Goodness, it's years since I read any Harry Harrison.

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

When I first read your post I was trying to think of the misuse which annoys me more than any other and I just couldn't bring it to mind. I've remembered it now; 'drug' as the past tense of 'drag'.

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

Ah, and now I see someone mention it further down in the comments.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

In a vote for most annoying word, I would also vote for that one.