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I Hate Bad Grammar

[c=#800000][b]THE DUMBING-DOWN OF WESTERN MAN'S LANGUAGE[/b]

The first line in the item below is supposed to be a sentence. Yet this combination of words is meaningless. Does anybody actually SAY "Bosses be (for example) better paid then employees?"

Bosses be???

And "Bosses be like???" - as a self-standing SENTENCE?

A return to caveman language?[/c]

chrissykisses · 22-25, F
I catch myself doing this sometimes and I hate it. Not necessarily in terms of grammar, but shortening & abbreviating words if I'm chatting on my phone, etc.
sunrisehawk · 61-69, M
Americans may on occasion mangle the language that the proper British call their own, but even we roll our eyes in disgust at some of the mistreatment such as you have shown.
WalterF · 70-79, M
@sunrisehawk I suspect this example is of American origin. Through hearing americanisms all the time in the media, the British unquestioningly adopt them. One example I have observed again and again in coffee shops: a large percentage of British customers are now saying "Can I get a coffee?" In English English, that means: "Can I go and prepare a coffee and bring it back here?" So the server should say "NO, certainly not! I'll get it and give it to you!" But people just swallow what they hear others saying. It's deplorable (my opinion). They should say, of course, "Can I HAVE a coffee?"
Sharon · F
If "Bosses" be the vocative plural and "be" be the imperative, that sentence would make sense. "Be" in my comment is the subjunctive. ;)
WalterF · 70-79, M
@Sharon Do you really think this is an order to bosses? I don't think the imperative argument holds up. As for the subjunctive, used alone it is too old-fashioned for this contemporary free spirit! as in "God be praised".

And even apart from that, there is the "like" phenomenon. The sentence "he was like hello" which is supposed to mean "He said hello" is without any reasonable foundation.
Sharon · F
@WalterF I was just offering a possible, albeit extremely unlikely, interpretation of the words "Bosses be like". I doubt the original author even understands verb moods.
Rambler · M
You could call it dumbing down, or you could call it utilitarian. Times have changed, that's for sure.
Bushmanoz · 56-60, M
Walter be hating!
WalterF · 70-79, M
@Bushmanoz Indeed he be!
Bushmanoz · 56-60, M
@WalterF Just assume English is their second language. It's easier to ignore then.
WalterF · 70-79, M
@Bushmanoz That's a good idea - but then, what would be their first language? Caveman speak? Tarzan speak? "Me like hungry? Me like want Triple Big Mac + Quadruple Fries?"

 
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