So, I was talking to Xiggy...

[conuly]

And she mentioned "this chick at avalon". This chick (whoever she is) is somebody I don't know, and who hadn't been mentioned before, in this conversation or previously. And it got me thinking.

If she says "this chick at avalon", it's fairly obvious that I'm not supposed to know which chick at avalon, she's about to tell me. But if she'd said "that chick at avalon", I would be expected to identify which chick at avalon she meant - she wouldn't say that unless she'd previously talked about that chick at avalon. And "the chick at avalon" is even worse - either there is only one chick at avalon, or the is acting the same was as that!

But this chick at avalon...? I can't think of a way it'd be used to identify a chick at avalon whom I already knew about.

Why is that?

Another question: Why doesn't English tend to use that good old word yon?

Comments

[rho]

...But I do use the word "yon".

[conuly]

*grins*

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Oh you linguistics nerds.

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Oh. Hey. Capitalize Avalon, 'tis a proper noun.

[pockettheroach.livejournal.com]

Randomly wandering through from book_icons:

I personally am campaigning to restore "whither", "whence", "hither", and "hence" to the English language. They're so much better than "go over there".

[conuly]

Sounds great mihi.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

I use the words yon and anon all the time.

[rho]

...But I do use the word "yon".

[conuly]

*grins*

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Oh you linguistics nerds.

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Oh. Hey. Capitalize Avalon, 'tis a proper noun.

[pockettheroach.livejournal.com]

Randomly wandering through from book_icons:

I personally am campaigning to restore "whither", "whence", "hither", and "hence" to the English language. They're so much better than "go over there".

[conuly]

Sounds great mihi.

[arikatt.livejournal.com]

I use the words yon and anon all the time.