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Re: OT - Programming Languages w/o English Syntax



on Mon, 20 Oct 2003 01:45:21AM +0200, Viktor Rosenfeld insinuated:
> Hi,
> 
> Monique Y. Herman wrote:
> 
> > Okay, okay, I can think of an irregular German bit.  As a small child, I
> > once said "Du hast mich wehgetutet."  (Instead of wehgetan.)  I
> > conjugated the verb improperly, and don't think I've ever been allowed
> > to forget it, even after 20 years!
> 
> Du hast *mir* wehgetan.
> 
> Don't worry, a lot of Germans make the same mistake.

if a lot of germans -- for whom german is, naturally, the native
language -- make the same mistake, then wouldn't that suggest that the
two are becoming interchangeable?  or is that getting to be like the
use of the accusative/dative in english -- to whoM, which many people
omit, but which prescriptivists still advocate?

</nori>

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