Re: "par coeur" origin

Neeraj Mathur wrote:

"Paul J Kriha" <paul.nospam.kriha@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:44471c63@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cheating or not cheating, you said you never heard it split.
If you like the aside at the end of a sentence, consider this:
"By now, you must be able to recite it off, pretty quickly.
(pause) By heart!"
I am sure you must have heard "off" and "by" split into
separate sentences?

No, this example doesn't work in my English. 'To recite off' is not a
standard compound verb. 'You must be able to recite it off pretty quickly'
is meaningless. (Compare 'rattle off', which is an acceptable compound
verb.)

You have a choice of 'by heart' or 'off by heart', that's it.

Maybe it's a Mississauga-Hindiism in Canadian.
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@xxxxxxx
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: "par coeur" origin
    ... "By now, you must be able to recite it off, pretty quickly. ... which is an acceptable compound ... You have a choice of 'by heart' or 'off by heart', ... involve the speech of first-generation immigrants. ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Drugstore or pharmacy?
    ... ObAUE: recite *off*? ... innit? ... I know the Lord's prayer off by heart. ... Wet Yorks via Cambridge, York, London and Watford ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: "par coeur" origin
    ... "By now, you must be able to recite it off, pretty quickly. ... standard compound verb. ... You have a choice of 'by heart' or 'off by heart', ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Drugstore or pharmacy?
    ... Not so in AmE, then? ... "recite off by heart" = 246 ... Skitt (AmE) ...
    (alt.usage.english)