That one fascinates me. I'm sure there's a rhetorical term for that kind of construct, but for the life of me I can't think of it.
I wonder whether it's "the world" that's stood at the urinal.
Morrissey makes an accidental grammatical error on a song???
- Thread starter raincoated lover
- Start date
That one fascinates me. I'm sure there's a rhetorical term for that kind of construct, but for the life of me I can't think of it.
I wonder whether it's "the world" that's stood at the urinal.
The Cat's Mother
Unmentionable
I think stood at the urinal is right.
But going on my previous gramatical disgraces tonight, I wouldn't go by what i say.
No, "standing" would be correct.
CrystalGeezer
My secret's my enzyme.
I wonder when the Smiths are reuniting.
Worm
Taste the diffidence
Mozzeronianism: Solecism permissible when people think you're a literary genius and are too intimidated to correct you.
raincoated lover
concrete sister
I fink it'll b soon, init.
raincoated lover
concrete sister
I assumed it was both the boy racer and the whole world who were stood at the urinal. If it was just the boy racer, would he be standing?
raincoated lover
concrete sister
I HAVE ANOTHER ONE!
'Hold me, closely, if you will allows it..'
Most definatley deliberate though...
'Hold me, closely, if you will allows it..'
Most definatley deliberate though...
What's wrong with that? Stood being the correct particple? "The Day The Earth Stood Still"? What would it otherwise have been?
Grammar Nazi Cat is going to hate me...
Peter
Worm
Taste the diffidence
Grammar Nazi Cat sez: the boy racer's in the present tense, the title you mentioned is in the past tense. *hissssssssssss*
Hey, this thread has turned out to be pretty fun!
"If YOUR WILL allows it" - a double meaning, - WILL as in a wish-list for post-death, and WILL as in one's desire.
I'm off now.
Peter
The Cat's Mother
Unmentionable
Er.... isn't that "...if YOUR will allows it"?
Yes, it's the correct past participle, but how does a past participle make sense in that line? I'm with The Cat's Mother's correction.
Hahahaha, I never thought about that former interpretation!
raincoated lover
concrete sister
Well he clearly sings 'if you will allows it'. I quite like it as a quaint acknowledgement of love not being restricted to the intelligent - that's how I percieve it anyway. But who am I to say?
Worm
Taste the diffidence
I agree, except there's also the strange (but weirdly suggestive) interpretation that the boy racer "has been stood" at the urinal-- i.e. placed there like a statue-- implying he's like an object that can be manipulated.
Of course the real answer is poetic license, as WinkWink said above: he needed a one syllable word to make the line scan. But we knew that.
The Cat's Mother
Unmentionable
The term is "participle abuse". I despair of having to correct my children in this matter. Sometimes their unsuspecting friends receive a lecture, too - and once, the head teacher of the village primary school. She was never the same with me afterwards....
Oh Lordy,
Why can't Stood At The Urinal mean Standing At The Urinal, which is what it was intended to be? I'm off to bed to do strange things with a lady.
Peter
Why can't Stood At The Urinal mean Standing At The Urinal, which is what it was intended to be? I'm off to bed to do strange things with a lady.
Peter
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