TAXSYN

It's a contagious disease the reversing of sentences. Diarrhoea verbal:

• "He'd make a great coach the boy from Kyabram."
• "He's a lump of a lad the unit from Geraldton."
• "He's an excitement machine the ranga."

Is it wrong? No. Well, excluding the excessive pronouns, it would not go astray correct punctuation. But just because football commentators do it, does not mean you are footy savvy because you do it, too.

Comments

[The Green Man]

Maybe the commentators are channelling Yoda??

Yoda-ling perhaps??

[Professor Rosseforp]

I've always spoken like that, but have only recently begun annoying myself when I do it. And only begun to think that's why I have trouble being understood.
Can I mention another verbal peculiarity? Police speak.
In English, we have a fantastic system of tenses, which is precise about when something happened, and what state the happening is in (completed, continuing, etc.).
One of the tenses is the preterite, or simple past., e.g. "I shot the sheriff" -- happened in the past and it's over.
Another is the present perfect, e.g. "The dog has entered the yard" -- happened in the past and continues in the present -- the dog is still there, as far as we know.
So why, oh why do police media reps, or police on radio, television or courtroom swap the tenses around??
"The suspect has entered the premises. He has produced a gun. He has forced the occupants to lie on the floor ..... etc." No the suspect has not. The suspect is sitting in a cell, he is no longer in the house, no longer waving a gun, and no longer threatening the occupants. That all happened in the past and has finished.
Why don't the cops say, "The suspect entered the premises. The suspect produced a gun. He forced the occupants ..." -- they can even stick in a lot of "allegedly" words if they want.
The police spokespeople have annoyed me -- in the past, and are continuing to do so.
Thank you to anyone who has listened this far.

[Tony]

Could be right you are, Jim.

Good to be having you back, Prof.

[Professor Rosseforp]

Thanks, good to be broadcasting opinions as facts in this forum again.

[Bwca Brownie]

oh anti-climax Professor. I was all worked up with anticipation for you to reach my favourite super-pluperfect tense.
Has St.Don of Watson dealt with cop-speak yet?
When you all see me in the dock at Melb Mag, for GBH, please know that it will be because I lost my battle to not punch the next person who begins a response with "yeah, no, ...".

Thanks TT for another great sub

[Tony]

Yeah, but, ... The AGB motto: "Opiniones ut factum"