Comments on: The evolution of the past tense – how verbs change over time http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/ Dive into the awe-inspiring, beautiful and quirky world of science news with award-winning writer Ed Yong. No previous experience required. Sat, 26 May 2012 10:52:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mannysan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-83799 Mannysan Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:43:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-83799 Interesting indeed! Now, how about this one: listen carefully to children while in the first years of speech. They often use the "-ed" ending in verbs, and parents spend their time saying "no, not sitted, sat" Instinct? Inbred linguistics? Just wonderful I think! A little example used in my classes especially when teaching foreigners (as the French) students because, yes, most do make the same mistake. Oh, let's hope the irregular verbs won't be discarded... beware of those academic boys. Interesting indeed! Now, how about this one: listen carefully to children while in the first years of speech. They often use the “-ed” ending in verbs, and parents spend their time saying “no, not sitted, sat” Instinct? Inbred linguistics? Just wonderful I think! A little example used in my classes especially when teaching foreigners (as the French) students because, yes, most do make the same mistake.
Oh, let’s hope the irregular verbs won’t be discarded… beware of those academic boys.

]]> By: Kittie Axel http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-60158 Kittie Axel Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:39:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-60158 Somebody necessarily assist to make seriously posts I'd state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual post incredible. Excellent activity! Somebody necessarily assist to make seriously posts I’d state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and up to now? I surprised with the research you made to create this actual post incredible. Excellent activity!

]]> By: Mit Google das kulturelle Genom entschlüsseln « Kultur oder Wissenschaft http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-33189 Mit Google das kulturelle Genom entschlüsseln « Kultur oder Wissenschaft Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:34:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-33189 [...] Das ist kein besonders überraschendes Ergebnis, weil man das vorher schon wusste. Es zeigt aber, dass sich über das statistische Analyse einer riesigen Textmasse Entwicklungen der Sprache nachvollziehen lassen, die Computerlinguisten bisher nur in begrenzten Ausmaß erforschen konnten. So ergab etwa eine grammatische Analyse der Studie von Michel et al., dass englische Verben im Laufe der Zeit immer regelmäßiger werden: From Beowulf to Harry Potter, the past forms of many irregular verbs have taken on the standard “-ed” suffix, in a way that fits a startlingly simple mathematical formula. [...] [...] Das ist kein besonders überraschendes Ergebnis, weil man das vorher schon wusste. Es zeigt aber, dass sich über das statistische Analyse einer riesigen Textmasse Entwicklungen der Sprache nachvollziehen lassen, die Computerlinguisten bisher nur in begrenzten Ausmaß erforschen konnten. So ergab etwa eine grammatische Analyse der Studie von Michel et al., dass englische Verben im Laufe der Zeit immer regelmäßiger werden: From Beowulf to Harry Potter, the past forms of many irregular verbs have taken on the standard “-ed” suffix, in a way that fits a startlingly simple mathematical formula. [...]

]]> By: J http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-33117 J Sun, 19 Dec 2010 06:01:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-33117 i would love to know if anybody knows what the past tense of laughed was before it was laughed. And I have never heard 'dived' spoken as proper English, and i live in Australia, where English grammar is much more prominent. Such an interesting paper. i would love to know if anybody knows what the past tense of laughed was before it was laughed.
And I have never heard ‘dived’ spoken as proper English, and i live in Australia, where English grammar is much more prominent.
Such an interesting paper.

]]> By: Peter Magellan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-9841 Peter Magellan Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:10:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-9841 "Dive" is irregular? I've been saying "dived" (occasionally) for lo, these fifty years. Afaik, it's only irregular in the US, where I once "dove" into the Pacific. Fascinating article though, Ed. And amen to your comments about the poetry of Lieberman's language. I must look out the original paper. “Dive” is irregular? I’ve been saying “dived” (occasionally) for lo, these fifty years. Afaik, it’s only irregular in the US, where I once “dove” into the Pacific.

Fascinating article though, Ed. And amen to your comments about the poetry of Lieberman’s language. I must look out the original paper.

]]> By: Khalil A. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-5223 Khalil A. Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:15:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-5223 Really interesting research methodology and all but what exactly's the use of the research? How does it help anybody? It just looks a little pointless to me. Really interesting research methodology and all but what exactly’s the use of the research? How does it help anybody? It just looks a little pointless to me.

]]> By: HikingStick http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-5222 HikingStick Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:34:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-5222 I've noticed that most media outlets have ditched "pled" in favor of "pleaded". I, for one, believe it sounds horrendous. "The defendant pled 'not guilty.'" "The defendant pleaded 'not guilty.'" The other one that has always mystified me relates to a bodily function. Why is sh*t considered vulger, but anytime someone makes a mess in their pants it is okay to say that "he shat himself"? I’ve noticed that most media outlets have ditched “pled” in favor of “pleaded”. I, for one, believe it sounds horrendous.
“The defendant pled ‘not guilty.’”
“The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty.’”
The other one that has always mystified me relates to a bodily function. Why is sh*t considered vulger, but anytime someone makes a mess in their pants it is okay to say that “he shat himself”?

]]> By: rx1 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-5221 rx1 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:49:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-5221 It would be interesting to see a study of how the process of *irregularization* occurs. It would be interesting to see a study of how the process of *irregularization* occurs.

]]> By: Reshma http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-5220 Reshma Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:07:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-5220 In fact, maybe it was whittled down to haved..hav'd..ha'd...had...any takers? In fact, maybe it was whittled down to haved..hav’d..ha’d…had…any takers?

]]> By: Reshma http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/comment-page-1/#comment-5219 Reshma Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:05:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/09/29/the-evolution-of-the-past-tense-how-verbs-change-over-time/#comment-5219 Regarding the haved vs had...what's not to say that 'had' is actually derived from the original 'haved' over a period of time? Think about it, it certainly seems very likely. Say 'Haved' often enough, and you'll be tempted to drop the 've' yourself! I know this to be the case with several French verb conjugations. Regarding the haved vs had…what’s not to say that ‘had’ is actually derived from the original ‘haved’ over a period of time? Think about it, it certainly seems very likely. Say ‘Haved’ often enough, and you’ll be tempted to drop the ‘ve’ yourself! I know this to be the case with several French verb conjugations.

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