Post AQFKyMoSnD7JEMUV6W by gwmngilfen@fosstodon.org
 (DIR) More posts by gwmngilfen@fosstodon.org
 (DIR) Post #AQFFNgf3XEEWIsmUKG by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-03T23:30:07Z
       
       1 likes, 0 repeats
       
       One of my favorite rural Midwest grammar constructs is that:> $noun needs ($verb.past_tense|$verb.gerurd).is syntactic sugar for:> It would be best for all involved if $noun were to be $verb.past_tense as soon as possible!Examples:“This needs fixed.”“That old car needs selling.”“The cat needs fed.”“That politition needs impeaching.”Note that this is proper and acceptable grammar in almost all non-classroom contexts in the regions where it’s used.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFFYOXvE741J2YAOO by victorwynne@ruby.social
       2022-12-03T23:32:13Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @tek Another good one “That boy’s parents need to give him a talkin’-to”
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFFtAtPBXYV2eVVhI by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-03T23:36:04Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @sungo Hah! I’ve heard it used that way, but still cheerfully use it in the direct way regularly: “this server needs updated” => “let’s make a story to get that done in the next sprint”.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFFzFYAmVZvDyTNRY by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-03T23:37:09Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @victorwynne Definitely! It shortens nicely (and commonly!) to “that boy needs talking to.”
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFGShKUZrc1mK7EdE by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-03T23:42:29Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @sungo Interesting. Maybe that’s a sub-regional difference?
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFJBL3KRsehcyVAXI by AsylumDEG@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-04T00:12:53Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @tek @victorwynne technically, "That boy needs talked to" :)
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFJJhz14saR3tTYMy by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-04T00:14:28Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @sungo Oof.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFJvkIMvh9JEkfIuG by Space6host@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-04T00:21:22Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @tek Not dissimilar to the British construct using "wants"... "This tea wants more milk"... "This copier wants paper" &c. Thin line between wants and needs, one supposes?
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFKyMoSnD7JEMUV6W by gwmngilfen@fosstodon.org
       2022-12-04T00:33:00Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @tek the Scots do this exact construct too!
       
 (DIR) Post #AQFM7cfLJyv4xSCbGC by tek@freeradical.zone
       2022-12-04T00:45:54Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @gwmngilfen Given the huge Scotch heritage of the region, maybe that’s the origin?
       
 (DIR) Post #AQGAdSRdqykkEVAR0q by gwmngilfen@fosstodon.org
       2022-12-04T10:11:52Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @tek possible I suppose. To be sure I guess we'd have to go analyse old texts and see when it started to be used :)