birdeen's call
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- Joined
- Jul 15, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Polish
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- Poland
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- Poland
I have a very limited contact with the English slang, which makes it difficult for me to understand certain processes. I've been noticing in the recent years that the preposition "on" has gained some kind of new function. So it seems to me at least. I was trying to remember as many examples as I could before starting this thread, but I feel I didn't do very well. What I could remember is
to be hating on somebody
to perv on somebody
to pig out on something
Not very much but I feel it's just the tip of the iceberg. What is interesting to me about these phrases is that it would seem perfectly logical to coin them without the "on". I've also heard phrases which I thought were estabilished and without the preposition, like "stand somebody up", with "on" added:
She stood up on you.
Am I right in thinking that there is a trend to turn transitive verbs and phrases into intransitive ones by adding "on" and to coin new verbs this way? If I'm right, is it limited to slang, internet slang or American internet slang? Is there a reason for this trend? Could you explain the function of this "on" to me?
to be hating on somebody
to perv on somebody
to pig out on something
Not very much but I feel it's just the tip of the iceberg. What is interesting to me about these phrases is that it would seem perfectly logical to coin them without the "on". I've also heard phrases which I thought were estabilished and without the preposition, like "stand somebody up", with "on" added:
She stood up on you.
Am I right in thinking that there is a trend to turn transitive verbs and phrases into intransitive ones by adding "on" and to coin new verbs this way? If I'm right, is it limited to slang, internet slang or American internet slang? Is there a reason for this trend? Could you explain the function of this "on" to me?
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