LINGUIST List 15.3554

Tue Dec 21 2004

Qs: On 'versus' as a Verb; English Pronunciation

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Directory
        1.    William J. Rapaport, On 'versus' as a Verb
        2.    wajdan raza, English Pronunciation


Message 1: On 'versus' as a Verb

 Date: 21-Dec-2004
From: William J. Rapaport <rapaportcse.Buffalo.EDU>
Subject: On 'versus' as a Verb


Has anyone noticed the use of ''versus'' as a verb, as in:
 
 ''I versed him in Yu-Gi-Oh yesterday.''
 ''Who are you versing in the tournament?''
 
 It seems to come from a misunderstanding, based on pronunciation,
 of ''versus'' as ''verses'' (i.e., of a Latin term misheard as an English
 3rd-person verb):  The headline ''Michael vs. Tyler'' is heard as the
 active sentence ''Michael verses Tyler''.
 
 I first heard this within the last year from my 9-year-old son and his
 friends.  They define it as ''to battle''. 
 
 Linguistic Field(s): Semantics

Message 2: English Pronunciation

 Date: 21-Dec-2004
From: wajdan raza <wajdanrazayahoo.com>
Subject: English Pronunciation


Dear linguits,

I am a student of MA Final (Linguistics). I am doing
my research on the English Pronunciation of the people
of Goa, India. I request those linguists who completed
research theses on English pronunciation to send/email
me their researches or literature reviews so that I
can complete my literarute review and choose the best
suited methodology to analyse the samples of my
research. I would be extremely grateful. Thanks.

Wajdan Raza
email: wajdanrazayahoo.com 

Linguistic Field(s): Phonology
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