Date: Fri, 29 Jul 1994 14:42:45 -0500

From: "Timothy C. Frazer" mftcf[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UXA.ECN.BGU.EDU

Subject: Re: Forrest Gump



On Fri, 29 Jul 1994, Alan Slotkin wrote:



I'm not sure what a-prefixing was like in Tennessee, especially around

Jamestown, in the early 1900s, but I do know that when I moved from South

Carolina to Cookeville (about 50 mi. from Alvin York's home) the amount of

a-prefixing I encountered was incredible. The Welcome Wagon person, for

example, said that she'd been a-drivin' all day, was a-fixin' to go to a

church supper that night, etc. There wasn't a sentence that didn't have an

a-prefixed pres. part. in it.



Alan Slotkin

ARS7950[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]TNTECH.EDU



That's amazing. I didn't know anyone used it that much. Seems like in

Wolfram & Christian it was more resrticed, but I can't remember. gotta

check.



Tim