Re: Tillman in Fractured French

REG,

You pose a good question about a particularly strange verb. "Va/Vas" comes
from the verb "aller" (to go). In the present tense, the conjugation goes:
je vais, tu vas, il va, nous allons, vous allez, ils vont. So far, the -s on
the 2nd person singular is in place, but, because it is a verb of the 1st
conjugation, the rule/exception says that, in the imperative mood, the -s
drops. So, if I were to tell you to speak, I'd write "Parle!" ... no -s.
"Aller" is irregular, but it does follow that rule. "Go!" is "Va!" ... no -s
either. This only pertains to verbs of the first conjugtion in the second
person singular when used in the imperative mood. Picky, I know, but wait!

To make things interesting, if the imperative "va" is directly followed by
the pronouns "en" or "y", then the -s is brought back for ease of
pronunciation: "Vas-y" (pronounced "va zee") is a lot easier to say than
"*va-y" (pronounced "va ee"). As far as I can tell, this is an exception to
an exception to a rule. Isn't grammar fun?

Best regards,
-Larry



"REG" <Richergar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:xdxKe.1457$ZG2.620581@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I thought it was vas, because it's second person singular in the familiar
> (or in this case, denigrating) form. Does the s drop for some reason?
>
> "Larry Friedman" <disquod@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:eo2dnW36lNeihmffRVn-vg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Wow, ya get some people to talk about something with which they are only
> > somewhat familiar, and they get it wrong.
> >
> > The French word for "clown" is just that: "le clown". It is pronounced
> > "cloon". My Larousse unbridged does not list "clune" at all.
> >
> > The expressions are neither "vas y" nor "vas t'en". They are "vas-y" and
> > "va-t'en". If ya gonna discuse anotha langoage, at leest spel it right!
> >
> > You are right, REG. "Va (no -s in this form) te faire enculer" is indeed
> > vulgar, but there are related expressions that are worse (=more
detailed)!
> >
> >
> >
> > "REG" <Richergar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:A5lKe.7729$%w.2940@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Vas t'en is, essentially, "Get out of here", and it has the
connotation
> > of
> > > what you would say to a dog, for example, which as bothering you. It
is
> > > impolite, but not vulgar. Vas te faire enculer is clearly vulgar.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Mark" <Harpsichordist@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > > news:1123650350.773511.28060@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > >
> > > > J.Venning wrote:
> > > > > "Mark" <Harpsichordist@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > > > > news:1123648814.425369.322710@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > > PS: "vas y" is French slang for "get lost".
> > > > >
> > > > > We used "vas t'en" for that.
> > > > > J.
> > > >
> > > > John (and REG),
> > > > That's a new one on me. What I really wanted to say to Charlie was
> "vas
> > > > te faire enculer", but I didn't. "Vas y" today in France is the
> > > > American equivlent of "Get out of my face".
> > > > Hope this helps,
> > > > Mark
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>


.

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