This is, is a terrific topic, and one that I was was waiting for for a long time. They do it with “was” too. (I snuck that double “for” in there in lieu of the briefer “eight”. Go figure.)
Truly fluent speakers such as Gore Vidal, or John LeCarré, don’t do this. It a nit that I trained myself not to pick, but recently I did actually see it in print. What it is, is a rhythmic glitch, and if people would form a sentence in their minds in advance, with the proper pauses they wouldn’t need to insert the extra beat.
“To be, or not to be, that is, is the question.”
Now, on word, to “like”. I recently heard an otherwise intelligent and interesting person use the word “like” 37 times in 60 seconds. I timed it. It’s become a plague.
I don’t think I’ve ever really come across this. In the examples used I think I would just omit the second “is” and it would still make sense. It feels more like a verbal tick to me 🤷♀️
That first "is" is a little reminiscent of topic markers in Japanese, where the textbook sentence always goes something like [topic]は, [rest of sentence]. In practice, that first part is often left to context, but if you are changing the topic, or clarifying it, or just want to emphasize it, you'll start that way. eg,
I've never actually heard anyone use this construction, and if I had, it would have left me scratching my head. (Obviously, I seldom listen to politicians because, equally obviously, they seldom make sense.)
This is, is a terrific topic, and one that I was was waiting for for a long time. They do it with “was” too. (I snuck that double “for” in there in lieu of the briefer “eight”. Go figure.)
Truly fluent speakers such as Gore Vidal, or John LeCarré, don’t do this. It a nit that I trained myself not to pick, but recently I did actually see it in print. What it is, is a rhythmic glitch, and if people would form a sentence in their minds in advance, with the proper pauses they wouldn’t need to insert the extra beat.
“To be, or not to be, that is, is the question.”
Now, on word, to “like”. I recently heard an otherwise intelligent and interesting person use the word “like” 37 times in 60 seconds. I timed it. It’s become a plague.
Great work, thanks!
I don’t think I’ve ever really come across this. In the examples used I think I would just omit the second “is” and it would still make sense. It feels more like a verbal tick to me 🤷♀️
Same here.
That first "is" is a little reminiscent of topic markers in Japanese, where the textbook sentence always goes something like [topic]は, [rest of sentence]. In practice, that first part is often left to context, but if you are changing the topic, or clarifying it, or just want to emphasize it, you'll start that way. eg,
The problem は, I ate the cake for my tea
問題は、お茶のケーキを食べた
I've never actually heard anyone use this construction, and if I had, it would have left me scratching my head. (Obviously, I seldom listen to politicians because, equally obviously, they seldom make sense.)