And put them on a trial they did

Forums: Grammar, English, Esl
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Check the last sentence in this following paragraph.

Kentucky could still hold these men and try them or take them to a court of law for the crime they committed. so even though they were captured, perhaps not in the most usual manner, the states of Kentucky had the right to keep these men and to put them on a trial. And put them on a trial they did.

Why does it go "And put them on a trial they did."
Why not "And they put them on a trial" or "And they did put them on a trial"

thanks.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 950 • Replies: 10

No top replies

View best answer, chosen by jangsunny1030

@jangsunny1030,

It's a poetic style. Not common every-day speaking.

0 Replies

@jangsunny1030,

Quote:

Kentucky could still hold these men and try them or take them to a court of law for the crime they committed. so even though they were captured, perhaps not in the most usual manner, the states of Kentucky had the right to keep these men and to put them on a trial. And put them on a trial they did.

Where is this quote from, J? It doesn't sound natural to use 'a' before 'trial'.

And put them on trial they did.

The 'they did', added at the end like this is an emphatic form.

A: Where did Jane go?

B: She went to buy pizza.

C: And buy pizza she did!

C's comment is similar in nature to,

And SHE DID buy pizza!

1 Reply

@jangsunny1030,

"...put them on trial..." is the common expression. Not "on a trial".

Yes, it's a form of emphasis. Another example:

I promised I'd take the kids to Disneyland, so finally last year to Disneyland we went.

0 Replies

Quote:

the states of Kentucky had the right to keep these men

There is only one state of Kentucky, I thought.

Could this be a quote from some very old source written in archaic language? As usual we do not know whence it came.

(I know that "from whence" has a long and respectable history, and has persisted even though Doctor Johnson called it 'vicious', but I don't like it.)

1 Reply

@contrex,

Quote:

(I know that "from whence" has a long and respectable history, and has persisted even though Doctor Johnson called it 'vicious', but I don't like it.)

There's no need to defend your personal pedantic emotions, C.

0 Replies

@JTT,

Thanks a lot!
Can I ask one more question?

What's different if I say " They did put them on trial" instead of "put them on trial they did"?

I've learned that I can address the main verb by adding "DO or DID" in the sentence.

2 Replies

@jangsunny1030,

Quote:

What's different if I say " They did put them on trial" instead of "put them on trial they did"?

I've learned that I can address [emphasize] the main verb [the event] by adding "DO or DID" in the sentence.

Putting do/does before the verb is another way to add emphasis, J. But it is used in different situations.

With the auxiliary verb before the lexical verb, eg. "did go", I'd say that it is used more often to counter another's denial.

A: Did Jenny wash the dishes like she was supposed to?

B: Nope, she left them all on the table.

C: Jenny did wash the dishes. B is lying.

0 Replies

@jangsunny1030,

Quote:

What's different if I say " They did put them on trial" instead of "put them on trial they did"?

There's no difference.

But note:

A. They put them on trial. ( a statement)
B. They did put them on trial. (a statement, usually to counter an impression that they did not)
C. ..so put them on trial they did. (a statement having the same effect as example B)

0 Replies

@jangsunny1030,

"And put them on trial they did." is a way of saying they REALLY put them through a really hard process, made things rough for them.
Another way of saying the same thing:
Put them on trial? Brother, did they ever.
And boy, oh boy, did they ever put them on trial.

1 Reply

@Joe Nation,

I don't think I agree with that, Joe, but it may be a local usage thing.

I think it shows emphasis, sure, but not THAT much. In my book, it could just be a more interesting way of playing out the narrative.

"I always hankered after an extended trip to Canada, and eventually to Canada I did go".

(thinks: that sentence would be quite unremarkable, and not materially changed, if the second "to Canada" was missed out.)

0 Replies

And put them on a trial they did

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know