Subj : A question about tenses
To   : Anton Shepelev
From : Ardith Hinton
Date : Tue May 26 2020 17:42:47

Hi, Anton!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

AH>  If a joke begins with e.g. "Three guys go into a bar"
AH>  I expect it to continue in the same vein.

AS>  Do not they "walk" into a bar?


            Usually they do, AFAIK... and I considered saying "walk".  But I've also seen variations like the one Denis posted here in which the three guys are replaced by an animal (even a kangaroo?), or by musical instruments & suchlike. While I understand the term "walking bass", I'm not sure I know how to describe accurately what method of locomotion others use.  When I asked my friends Barry Sax, Otto Harp, and Penny Whistle for input on the topic they all replied sadly
.... because of the COVID-19 situation... "Don't get around much any more".  :-Q



AS>  I compiled an epic list of English-related bar jokes by
AS>  members of alt.usage.english.usage


            You've obviously done a lot more research on them than I have.  But what matters for purposes of this discussion is how we use verb tenses....  :-)




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