Definitions starting with D

ID #4323

de (1)

/de/; dere, there copula [Atlantic; DJE "from there, DE, which takes the place of the omitted verb to be—poss. also with coincidental influ­ence from some African word or words such as Twi dè be.. .or Ewe (Agu dial.)de to be"; cf. also Ngombe di, Guang te (Hancock 1971: 64405), Igbo di IED] to be (located): 1918 Wherever it there, I will find it (Parsons 96). 1940 Dey don't have t' argue 'bout where d' capital thud be—euz it done dere enyhow (Dupuch 5). 1977 I cle here every night (Shilling 58). Some trees don't dere to every island (Mayag.). 'E de up dere now (Acklins).

◊The occurrence of this form is infrequent except in isolated communities, especially among older people.

Tags: copula, grammar

Related entries: -

Last update: 2011-02-14 02:45
Author: Holm and Shilling, DBE, 1982
Revision: 1.0

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