Grammar correct

[ostap77]

I hope fivejedjon is not going to be mad at me because I've been asking many "already questions" lately.

"I've been hearing a lot of good things about your friends. It's about time that we met them already." Is it grammatically correct?

 

[5jj]

I hope fivejedjon is not going to be mad at me because I've been asking many "already questions" lately. Me?:roll:

"I've been hearing a lot of good things about your friends. It's about time that we met them already." Is it grammatically correct?

It's not correct in my dialect, BrE, but I have gained the impression from American films that it may be correct among Jewish speakers of AmE.

We'll have to wait to hear from native speakers of AmE for the definitive answer.

 

[5jj]

I hope fivejedjon is not going to be mad at me because I've been asking many "already questions" lately.

p.s. This is a clearly different question, and you have posted it on a new thread. Even I can't be mad at you for that - it's the correct procedure.

 

[Allen165]

It's not correct in my dialect, BrE, but I have gained the impression from American films that it may be correct among Jewish speakers of AmE.

We'll have to wait to hear from native speakers of AmE for the definitive answer.

Why "Jewish speakers of AmE"?

 

[5jj]

Why "Jewish speakers of AmE"?

Because some Jewish Americans come from families which originally spoke Yiddish. Yiddish influenced the English of some of these speakers.

Such constructions as "honest she ain't" in informal conversation were, I believe common among people with a Yiddish-speaking background. Some of them have passed into mainstram AmE, and some even into BrE usage, thanks to the widespread influence of American film and TV.

I think that the position of already in Ostap's example, unnatural in BrE, may have originated among Jewish speakers of AmE, and it may be a result of the influence of Yiddish. However, I do not know much about either Yiddish or AmE, which is why I said to Ostap that we need to wait for native speakers of AmE for the definitive answer.

 

[Munch]

My first thought was that the sentence sounded fine, but as fivejedjon said, using "already" like that is characteristic of American Jewish English, in my limited experience.

"Alright, already" is perhaps the phrase familiar to most.

What a great phrase, by the way. Beautiful, efficient language to my ears. Probably I have have watched too many Seinfeld episodes. Sorry folks.

 

[riquecohen]

Because some Jewish Americans come from families which originally spoke Yiddish. Yiddish influenced the English of some of these speakers.

Such constructions as "honest she ain't" in informal conversation were, I believe common among people with a Yiddish-speaking background. Some of them have passed into mainstram AmE, and some even into BrE usage, thanks to the widespread influence of American film and TV.

I think that the position of already in Ostap's example, unnatural in BrE, may have originated among Jewish speakers of AmE, and it may be a result of the influence of Yiddish. However, I do not know much about either Yiddish or AmE, which is why I said to Ostap that we need to wait for native speakers of AmE for the definitive answer.

5JJ is on target. There are many other cases of mordant syntax that have entered English from Yiddish. While Ostap's sentence isn't correct in AmE, I wouldn't raise an eyebrow if I heard it in NY.

 

[ostap77]

5JJ is on target. There are many other cases of mordant syntax that have entered English from Yiddish. While Ostap's sentence isn't correct in AmE, I wouldn't raise an eyebrow if I heard it in NY.

How would you put the second part of the sentence to be correct in AmE? Does "already" go between "we" and "met"? "We already met them"?

 

[Barb_D]

How would you put the second part of the sentence to be correct in AmE? Does "already" go between "we" and "met"? "We already met them"?

Totally different meaning.

Isn't it time we met them, already? (In my opinion, we should meet.)
Alright, already! (In my opinion, we've had enough of this. Let's move on.)
So get on with it, already! (In my opinion, you're taking too long and need to do it now and stop taking about it.

We [have] already met them. -- Simple statement of fact that a meeting has occurred in the past.

 

[e2e4]

/A learner/

"I've been hearing a lot of good things about your friends. It's about time that we met them already." Is it grammatically correct?

According to my understanding of some grammar books I've read, there is no place for both "about" and "already" in this phrase in which the past subjunctive is used to emphasise that I ought to go to meet them immediately.

It's time I met them.

In addition, why the PP Continuous has been used and not the PP.

I've heard a lot of good things about your friends. It's time I met them.

Also I wouldn't use the phrase in such case.

I'd say

I've heard a lot of good things about your friends. I am sorry I haven't met them yet.

 

[5jj]

/A learner/

One thing at a time!

According to my understanding of some grammar books I've read, there is no place for both "about" and "already" in this phrase in which the past subjunctive is used to emphasise that I ought to go to meet them immediately.

Already has been discussed in previous posts.

Assuming that already can be used, there is no real reason why it should not co-occur with it's about time. I'd be interested to know which grammar books told you that this was not possible.

Whether or not the verb is a past subjunctive is irrelevant. It is the expression it's time/about time/high time that conveys the immediacy.

 

[ostap77]

Already has been discussed in previous posts.

Assuming that already can be used, there is no real reason why it should not co-occur with it's about time. I'd be interested to know which grammar books told you that this was not possible.

Whether or not the verb is a past subjunctive is irrelevant. It is the expression it's time/about time/high time that conveys the immediacy.

Is it the first part of the sentence which is incorrect in my first post? " I've been hearing a lot of good things...."?

 

[5jj]

In addition, why has the PP Continuous [STRIKE]has[/STRIKE] been used and not the PP?.

I've heard a lot of good things about your friends. It's time I met them.

The Present Perfect Continuous is perfectly acceptable here. It places more attention on the limited duration of the 'hearing', which extends up to the present moment.

Also I wouldn't use the phrase in such case. Fine. That's your decision.

I'd say

I've heard a lot of good things about your friends. I am sorry I haven't met them yet. Fine - but you are saying something slightly different.

5

 

[5jj]

Is it the first part of the sentence which is incorrect in my first post? " I've been hearing a lot of good things...."?

No. See my previous post - which was submitted after your question.

 

[ostap77]

5

It may have been better without "alraedy" in the second part?

 

[riquecohen]

It may have been better without "alraedy" in the second part?

Yes.

 

[ostap77]

Yes.

"I've been hearing a lot of good things about your friends. It's about time that we met them ."This version would have been more natural for other parts of the US?