Re: Morphology 19 update - Ego

> > >In fact, in English 'here' is used to attract attention for
> peremptory
> > >commands or questions, e.g. 'Here, you pick up that rubbish!'.
> > English 'here' in this use is very similar to the Dutch usage of
> > 'hoor' with commands, which makes we wonder if what we have is
> 'here'
> > or 'hear'.
> 'Hear' doesn't seem right. But it could be a blend of many

things. I

> think "listen here" corresponds more literally with the Dutch, and
> "here" could be aphetic of "listen here" (or

rather, "listen 'ere").

>Another source of influence is 'Here, boy' when you call a dog. That
> might just be 'Hear, boy', but I don't think so.
> Richard.

I agree with Richard, in so far as my Northern dialect would most
likely use the fuller phrase 'eeyar' or 'here you are'. I'd use it
to attract attention [both to myself, and to my statements regarding
something 'over there'], to offer something, or to begin a question,
and also on reflection for the sorts of peremptory orders
and 'tellings-off' detailed above.
The aphetic 'here' is more usually a 'look here' in my talk, as "LOOK
ERE, YOU! WHADYER THINK YOU'RE DOIN????"
As for doggies, in Russia I often hear 'Ko mne!' = 'to me!', which
sounds unnervingly like the English 'Come ere!'
Ben