noitamrof

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brogine
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noitamrof

Postby brogine » Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:44 pm

“What’s the matter?” → “Is something the matter?”

“It’s 70 degrees.” → “What degrees is it?”
(Once asked by my then-very-young daughter.)

Would this be called phrasal back-formation, or (one lives in hope) might there be a ‘fency-schmency’ term?

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Slava
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Re: noitamrof

Postby Slava » Thu Sep 29, 2022 4:55 pm

Isn't this just a different way of phrasing something, not a particular 'back-formation'?

The degrees one isn't quite the same, as it is in response to a different kind of question; just as "What direction is that?" leads to the answer "It's East" (or whatever direction it is).
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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