Not to come across as ignorant but...
I've lived in the UK close on 6 years, but I still find some uses of the native tongue confusing.
One of these, that seems to be used by a large number of people I've come in contact with, is (in my mind) an incorrect use of the verb in the past tense.
As in:
"I was stood on a rock..."
or
"we were sat on a bench..."
To me the correct form is:
"I was standing on a rock…"
Or
"we were sitting on a bench..."
My father, born and raised here, has never, within my earshot, used this form, it doesn't really
bother me, but I don’t know if the use of this incorrect(?) tense is meant to imply some form of "twee-ness"?
I've perhaps incorrectly recognised that this form is often used when recounting an amusing encounter or tale. While on other occasions, what I consider to be correct language, is used.
I don't know much about the structure of English other than what sounds correct to mine ears, so English teachers? Writers? Know-it-all's? Set me straight please?
An intentionally endearing idiosyncrasy, just faulty grammar, or actually correct? |
