Are you a friend or . . .?

@cicerone imposter,

Some of my friends are Friends , and a few were Friends but arent now Friends , Nevertheless, we remain friends.

0 Replies

@Merry Andrew,

Is it politically correct to say unfriend rather than enemy?

0 Replies

@Merry Andrew,

If unfriend is a verb the sentence would be "He unfriended me" - sounds strange to me.
Friend is a noun. Why is then unfriend a verb? We are friends. We make friends. We would not say "He friended me"
Are Scandinavian languages the only languages where the word unfriend is a noun? It is translated into English as enemy, but in Scandinavia is not as strong.

4 Replies

@saab,

saab wrote:

We would not say "He friended me"

in social networking sites like facebook, that's exactly the terminology used

there's also "thanks for the add"

brave new world, kids, brave new world

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Ive not dipped a tentative tow into any social networking till Im fully retired.

1 Reply

@farmerman,

whatcha doing at A2K?

1 Reply

@saab,

Mefriend defriendedMe for Meunfriending him so I gotta refriend in order to be an infriend.

2 Replies

@Sglass,

1 Reply

@Philis,

whatza the matter? you don't understand warp drive?

1 Reply

@Sglass,

waza matta u
ur warped awright

just peeking in

1 Reply

@Sglass,

You just have too much free time on your hands. LOL

0 Replies

@saab,

Quote:

If unfriend is a verb the sentence would be "He unfriended me" - sounds strange to me.

New collocations often sound strange. That's often what makes a foreigner sound foreign, Saab.

Quote:

Friend is a noun. Why is then unfriend a verb? We are friends. We make friends. We would not say "He friended me"

'unfriend' is a verb because English speakers chose it to be. Changing nouns into verbs is a very English language thing to do.

One day a situation might arise where "He friended me" will be said. Language, and the rules, governing its use are available to speakers of English to describe any situation.

0 Replies

It's supposed to sound strange. This is directly related to facebook and if you've ever been unfriended or unfriended a friend it would make sense, I guess.

0 Replies

@saab,

saab wrote:

If unfriend is a verb the sentence would be "He unfriended me" - sounds strange to me.
Friend is a noun. Why is then unfriend a verb? We are friends. We make friends. We would not say "He friended me"

Quote:

friend [frend] Show IPA
Use friend in a Sentence
"noun
1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends of the Boston Symphony.
3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?
4. a member of the same nation, party, etc.
5. (initial capital letter) a member of the Religious Society of Friends; a Quaker.
"verb (used with object)
6. Rare. to befriend.

http://grammar.about.com/od/grammarfaq/f/verbingfaq.htm

Quote:

Question: What Is Verbing?
Answer:
In a single work day, we might head a task force, eye an opportunity, nose around for good ideas, mouth a greeting, elbow an opponent, strong-arm a colleague, shoulder the blame, stomach a loss, and finally hand in our resignation. What we're doing with all those body parts is called verbing--using nouns (or occasionally other parts of speech) as verbs.

Verbing is a time-honored way of coining new words out of old ones, the etymological process of conversion (or functional shifting). Sometimes it's also a kind of word play (anthimeria), as in Shakepeare's King Richard the Second when the Duke of York says, "Grace me no grace, and uncle me no uncles."

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

ehBeth wrote:

whatcha doing at A2K?

0 Replies

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

1 Reply

@Philis,

just the tip of the iceburg.

0 Replies

@Ceili,

It's got me buffaloed, too.

0 Replies

Are you a friend or . . .?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know