Dorky grammar nerd is dorky

[elaby]

These are the sort of things that get caught in my brain:

In the phrase "Give me a couple extra", "couple" has a different grammatical role if you omit "of" after it. You'd have to say "Give me a couple of extra cookies" or whatever you meant to be the direct object. Why is that? When you say "Give me extra," you're using "extra" as an pronoun, like "more," am I right? I say a pronoun because that's what my dictionary tells me "more" is when it functions that way. If you add "couple" before "extra," it doesn't change extra's function, but if you add "couple of" instead, it forces extra to be an adjective. You need a noun after it to act as a direct object. What is it about "of" that accomplishes this feat?

I have the feeling that I should know this, but it's so slippery. Brain go 'splody!

In other news, I was bitten by a strange plotbunny that wants me to write a young adult story about the aftermath of (one wave of) the Saxon invasion of England, from the point of view of a girl whose Saxon father - after invading/razing/pillaging, etc. - sends for his family to come and settle in the southeast. There would also be a girl of native Briton heritage, though possibly partly Germanic so they would have a chance of speaking the same language, for her to have conflict and adventures with.

On that subject, I wanted to ask all of you brilliant people if you know of any books about the history and culture of England in the 400's-700's that would talk about what people's daily lives might've been like. I know I have some books around here somewhere about the history, strictly kings and conquerors and battles, but that doesn't tell me what people wore or ate, or how they made a living. I know there are few contemporary sources for this time period, too, so I'm not sure such a thing exists... but there's so much out there!

Remind me why I didn't get my MA in history again?

Random Holmes and Lestrade icon, BECAUSE I CAN!

Comments

[seakisst.livejournal.com]

It's because "of" indicates the possessive, which is a different (genitive) case. It's a grammar thing. ;)

[elaby.livejournal.com]

AHA! That's so exactly it! Thank you! XD I knew there was a logical explanation for my gut feeling. I never learned the nominative/accusative/genitive/dative thing with English grammar, just with Old English and then with Latin, so I forget that it applies O_o

[seakisst.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they don't usually teach that with English - I learned it in Latin and German ;)

[janeturenne.livejournal.com]

Re: grammar, you, my acushla, are adorable. My knowledge of grammar is strictly practical--I know how to make a sentence work but not WHY it works, an undoubted failing on my part--so I'm afraid I can't help you on that front. Where your bunny is concerned, the story sounds fascinating. Where the research is concerned, there's a giant many-volumed history of the world--similar to the Durants' The Story of Civiliztion--that specifically focuses on ordinary people rather than the high-and-mighty, called A History of Private Life. If you can find it, it would at least be a place to start; it might not be particularly detailed for the period you want, but it'd probably have a bibliography that would be useful, at any rate.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, thank you! That sounds like an incredibly awesome book, even if it doesn't focus on the part I'm looking for right now. Information about other time periods is always welcome :D

I love grammar like a giant nerd XD I love teaching it to the kid I tutor, I love thinking about it, and I love trying to unravel things. You use grammar amazingly well :)

[hak42.livejournal.com]

"of" is being used as "expressing the relationship between a part and a whole after a number, quantifier, or partitive noun, with the word denoting the whole functioning as the head of the phrase." Never mind, not important.

I think you are still using extra as an adjective, you are just implying the noun. Because someone who didn't know what you were talking about would still ask, "Extra what?" And you could still say, "Give me a couple extra cookies."

I think the "of" actually changes the role of "couple" and makes it a noun instead of an adjective. And that's where the definition of "of" that I struck out above actually applies. OK. That makes sense now. I think?

[elaby.livejournal.com]

OH! OMG, yes. This is so what I was trying to wrench out of my brain! Because I was trying to express something like your struck-out definition, about how it has to do with the preceding word being a number or something like that, and your explanation unraveled what I had all tangled in my head. Thank you!

[hak42.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad to help. :)

[coastal-spirit.livejournal.com]

I like your plotbunny! That sounds pretty fascinating. *^^*

I do not have any historical references for this time period, but I may have an old historical novel set in England and Greenland, I believe, written by someone who tended to research the historical and cultural aspects of her novels rather carefully, if that would be of any use.

I love grammar stuff, but this one breaks my brain. ;)

[elaby.livejournal.com]

It broke my brain too until people explained it to me XD

I'd love to borrow that book if you can find it! If it's easy to find :) Thank you!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_melisande_/]

Oh yes, that's a partitive genitive, but I think everyone already covered that fairly well for you.

I like your plot bunny! Hmmm... I have no sources for you, because all of mine are text bookish or primary sources. I do love this period you're talking about, though.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I knew you would know! :D Partitive genitive!

It's such a cool time period! If I find that I've lost all of my textbooks and primary source type things, I may ask to borrow yours :)

A gift: GACKT's new album, RE:BORN

[mienaikitsune.livejournal.com]

2009.12.02 Release - 320 kbps + Scans
Info: Official // JPop Stop Wiki
Support: HMV // CDJapan

	Disc 1 01. JESUS -RRII- 02. SUDDENLY 03. NO REASON 04. IN FLAMES 05. SAYONARA -RRII- 06. GHOST 07. BLUE LAGOON -Shinkai- 08. OBLIVIOUS ~Kao no Tenshi~ 09. MY FATHER'S DAY 10. Koakuma Heaven 11. FARAWAY ~Hoshi ni Negai wo~ 12. FLOWER -RRII- 13. LOST ANGELS Disc 2 Drama CD - REBIRTH TO RE:BORN "ZERO'S MAIL"
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Re: A gift: GACKT's new album, RE:BORN

[elaby.livejournal.com]

OMG! Thank you so much! *squeal* That is AWESOME!

Re: A gift: GACKT's new album, RE:BORN

[mienaikitsune.livejournal.com]

XD No problem, I knew you'd like/want that!

Another gift: GACKT's new double A-side single, Setsugekka -The end of silence-/Ki ~ZAN~

[mienaikitsune.livejournal.com]

2009.12.09 Release - 320 kbps
Info: Official // JPop Stop Wiki
Support: HMV // CDJapan

	01. Setsugekka -The end of silence- 02. Ki ~ZAN~ 01. Setsugekka -The end of silence- (Instrumental) 02. Ki ~ZAN~ (Instrumental)
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Re: Another gift: GACKT's new double A-side single, Setsugekka -The end of silence-/Ki ~ZAN~

[mienaikitsune.livejournal.com]

Aw crap, I forgot to change the latter numbers... 1, 2, 1, 2, riiight... d'oh

Re: Another gift: GACKT's new double A-side single, Setsugekka -The end of silence-/Ki ~ZAN~

[elaby.livejournal.com]

That's okay! It's easy for me to change them :)

Re: Another gift: GACKT's new double A-side single, Setsugekka -The end of silence-/Ki ~ZAN~

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Thank you so much! *dances*