FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · 1 month agoIt is linguistically impossible to behave anyone but yourselfmessage-squaremessage-square20linkfedilinkarrow-up132arrow-down110
arrow-up122arrow-down1message-squareIt is linguistically impossible to behave anyone but yourselfFreshParsnip@lemmy.ca to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · 1 month agomessage-square20linkfedilink
minus-squareFreshParsnip@lemmy.caOPlinkfedilinkarrow-up7arrow-down1·1 month agoI’m talking about the phrase “behave yourself”. In the English language, there is no such thing as behaving someone else, only behaving yourself. I don’t know if there’s another language where “behave someone else” makes linguistic sense
minus-squareavattar@lemmy.sdf.orglinkfedilinkarrow-up3·1 month agoHow about this phrase: “Make sure you daughter behaves herself”
minus-squareFreshParsnip@lemmy.caOPlinkfedilinkarrow-up2arrow-down1·1 month agoThe daughter is behaving herself, not behaving someone else. In English, we don’t say “behave your daughter”
I’m talking about the phrase “behave yourself”. In the English language, there is no such thing as behaving someone else, only behaving yourself. I don’t know if there’s another language where “behave someone else” makes linguistic sense
How about this phrase: “Make sure you daughter behaves herself”
The daughter is behaving herself, not behaving someone else. In English, we don’t say “behave your daughter”