[Grammar] Sentence structure

[spsarlo]

I have a very well educated friend that has started using very strange sentence structure. Here is a sentence from his most recent e-mail. After a quick fly in the desert, thirsty I am. He is reversing the order of words. I think it sounds like poor English Something that someone may use if English were not their first language. Please enlighten me as to what exactly is wrong with this, or if it is old English ,or some other colloquialism that I am unfamiliar with.
Thank you very much

 

[Raymott]

The person you should be asking is your friend. It's not normal. First, you should find out whether your friend is aware of his strange sounding sentences. If he is, and says that he's trying out new literary techniques, then that tends to rule out a whole lot of potential causes like acute brain pathology (delirium from drugs, brain tumours, schizophrenia - or he could just be tired - the list is almost endless).
If he has no idea what you're talking about, there could be a problem.

 

[SoothingDave]

Talking he is, like Yoda.

 

[Raymott]

Talking he is, like Yoda.

Does Yoda talk like that? I'm really going to have to get to know this Yoda better, if I'm to keep his avatar.

 

[SoothingDave]

Does Yoda talk like that? I'm really going to have to get to know this Yoda better, if I'm to keep his avatar.

Yes, I thought it strange that you didn't point it out.

 

[Matthew Wai]

get to know this Yoda better

You can find Yoda's use of anastrophe on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastrophe
It seems that you have never watched Star Wars.

Not a teacher.

 

[Tdol]

Here's a link about Yoda, the Star Wars character whose way of speaking is being imitated: http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002173.html

 

[emsr2d2]

Talking he is, like Yoda.

I think that would be "Talking like Yoda he is".

 

[Raymott]

Then maybe the OP has missed a simple cultural allusion and not a brain pathology. Still, my advice is the same that he should ask the writer what he's on about.
(I'm way overdue for an avatar change anyway.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Aww, no, don't take Yoda away. My avatar will be very lonely if you do.

 

[Raymott]

Aww, no, don't take Yoda away. My avatar will be very lonely if you do.

Yeah, but sometimes an alien has to do what an alien has to do.