View Full Version : 2 questions about language
rachmaninov 06-29-2003, 09:47 PM Hi, I live in Holland, so my english is not so good.
I would like to ask 2 questions about english language.
In this episode:
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"155. MIKE AND GLORIA SPLIT
Mike spends a night with Archie after a fight with Gloria"
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when Mike visits Archie and Edith in the middle of the night,
Edith says to Mike "Don't worry, we was only sleeping"
Archie replies "Don't tell that, suppose we was not sleeping.
After Edith said it, I thought i did not hear it well, but
after Archie used the same phrase, I am sure I heard well.
Does somebody know why it is not "we were sleeping"?
Is this a kind of "slang" language?
Something like "I did not hear nothing"?
Later in this episode Archie tells Mike that a nephew died in
his bed. Mike asked the reason of his death.
Archie answers: "his feet"
"The nephew always said, my feet will be my death"
Is that an expression? Does someone know the right expression?
And what is the exact meaning of the expression?
Thank you very much!
rachmaninov
KayEn78 06-30-2003, 12:42 PM Edith: "...we was only sleeping."
Archie: "Suppose we wasn't slepping, would you give him a run down of that?" I think that's how the quote went. Edith told the truth...they really were fast asleep. But Archie sarcastically remarks, what if we weren't sleeping? Meaning, I think, that there are other things done in bed besides sleeping and would Edith have told Mike what they had been doing, besides sleeping. (No, she wouldn't have--that's a private matter). I think that's what it meant. If not, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I hope this answers your first question. As for the second question, I can't remember that quote, I'll have to go back and look at the episode. But, I hope I answered the first question. :)
-Kristi
TVgen62 06-30-2003, 11:43 PM Originally posted by KayEn78
Edith: "...we was only sleeping."
Archie: "Suppose we wasn't slepping, would you give him a run down of that?" I think that's how the quote went. Edith told the truth...they really were fast asleep. But Archie sarcastically remarks, what if we weren't sleeping? Meaning, I think, that there are other things done in bed besides sleeping and would Edith have told Mike what they had been doing, besides sleeping. (No, she wouldn't have--that's a private matter). I think that's what it meant. If not, someone correct me if I'm wrong. I hope this answers your first question. As for the second question, I can't remember that quote, I'll have to go back and look at the episode. But, I hope I answered the first question. :)
-Kristi
That explains the subtext of the statement, KayEn78. However, I think Rachmaninov's question was of a grammatical nature.
Rachmaninov, yes, "we were sleeping" would be grammatically correct. However, Archie and Edith were not very well educated and this was demonstrated in, among other things, their manner of speaking. (I hope that answers your question.)
As to your other question, I'm not familiar with the scenario or what was meant by the expression you mentioned. I can only assume that Archie remembered something that the deceased once said and took it literally. Maybe someone else can give you a better answer about that one.
KayEn78 06-30-2003, 11:50 PM Ooops, you're probably right about the grammar thing. My mistake. :) Just ignore my post...
-Kristi
TVgen62 06-30-2003, 11:56 PM Originally posted by KayEn78
Ooops, you're probably right about the grammar thing. My mistake. :) Just ignore my post...
-Kristi
No, no! Not at all! Goodness, I certainly didn't intend to discourage you. :o
Besides, only Rachmaninov knows for sure what he meant. We'll find out when he reads our posts.
KayEn78 07-01-2003, 12:55 PM Oh no, I'm not discouraged, but sometimes I do get things mixed up and think someone means one thing, when they mean another. But only he would know! :) So, we'll have to wait and see. :)
-Kristi
Since it's been awhile, maybe we're not going to find out what Rachmaniov meant. My guess is that he was asking about the grammatical nature of the statement by Edith and also what Archie meant by his coimment. So between the two of you, both of his questions we're answered.
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