In a message dated 5/18/2009 10:55:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: Possibly, as per the identity theory, JLS's little dialogue has left Strawon's mind spinning and also his body in his grave. ---- Well, yes. And there is a further otiosity in English. The ending -thing in "anything", "something", "everything". I hardly see how "thing" has any to do with it. In ebonics English, I am told, they are deleting the _thing_ already: 1889 W. H. HERNDON Let. 5 Jan. in E. Hertz Hidden Lincoln (1940) 233 Speed about 1839-40 was keeping a pretty woman in this city, and Lincoln, desirous to have a little, said to Speed: ‘Speed, do you know where I can get some? ’ 1971 E. E. LANDY Underground Dict. 88 Get some.., obtain sexual intercourse with someone. 1978 J. KRANTZ Scruples vi. 173 Since his last visit she was getting some, somewhere, he'd bet his life on it. JLS **************Recession-proof vacation ideas. Find free things to do in the U.S. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-ideas/domestic/national-tourism-week?ncid=emlcntustrav00000002) ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html