On 09/07/2002 09:38:31 AM John Cowan wrote: >> It's completely different, but I'm reminded of the yes-no question >> construction used in at least some parts of Québec whereby (e.g.) Jacques >> can knock on the door and say to Yves who answered, "Michelle est-tu là?" > >Sounds totally familiar to me. Even if A answers, saying "B, are you there?" >seems quite a rational thing to do, talking not to A but past him, as it were.
Ah, but it's not a personal pronoun (note "est-tu" not "es-tu" -- though the spelling is my anaylsys; I've never seen it written). To take another example, if I understand the usage (from the explanation I got after inquiring when I heard it in use), I think one ought to be able to ask something like "Le lait est-tu froid?" (Again, prediction based on an assumed analysis -- I've never heard that particular utterance from a native speaker.) - Peter --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peter Constable Non-Roman Script Initiative, SIL International 7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX 75236, USA Tel: +1 972 708 7485 E-mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
