Help me understand a particular kind of English grammar...

I noticed this fairly recently, about a year ago - you English-speaking lads and lasses seem to use the possessive form when referring to a person's actions: let's take this quote from Star Ocean: The Second Story as an example:

"I hope you don't mind MY saying so..."

What's this?
Personally I'm more used to the alternative "I hope you don't mind I'M saying so", but perhaps that's just some Swedish thing?

So, what's the point about using possessive forms like this?
Nobody in this country seems to know about it, but still I hear and read it regularly.
I hope you don't mind my asking you. :p

I think it's to fool foreigners.

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Originally Posted by Old Manus

I think it's to fool foreigners.

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Nope, because I've read it in a bunch of English books as well, fairly well written too.
Heck, I even came across an English school book that mentioned this once, but I forget where I saw it.

Such a confusing language.

You can translate it along something of this line: "I hope that you do not mind my saying of such a view..."

As much as I use English, I do not know the real reason behind the phrase. I imagine it evolved from a longer phrase and was contracted down, it being quicker and easier to say.

Yeah, Swedish and Norwegian sentence structure is pretty much the same, so I know what you're talking about. I've watched my share of TV in my life, so I can, in most cases, tell what sounds wrong and what sounds right. :greenie:

Hey, have you noticed how tons of scandinavians pronounce V's as W's when they speak English?

Doesn't this have three forms?:

1)I hope you don't mind ME saying....
2)I hope you don't mind MY saying...
3)I hope you don't mind THAT I'M saying...

I think all three of these can be used and are correct.

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Originally Posted by Levian

Yeah, Swedish and Norwegian sentence structure is pretty much the same, so I know what you're talking about. I've watched my share of TV in my life, so I can, in most cases, tell what sounds wrong and what sounds right. :greenie:

Hey, have you noticed how tons of scandinavians pronounce V's as W's when they speak English?

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Yeah I'm from Sweden and I mean...you should hear some of the people I know speak English, or should I say TRY TO, OMG sometimes I just want to slap them or something because it's SO ANNOYING!

What it means is this, I think:
I hope you dont mind 'the action of me' saying so.

I would usually say:
I hope you dont mind me saying so.

(Although as Owen said, you can use 3 forms)

English is a strange language. It uses random unusual stuff. Who knows why.

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Originally Posted by Vivisteiner

What it means is this, I think:
I hope you dont mind 'the action of me' saying so.

I would usually say:
I hope you dont mind me saying so.

(Although as Owen said, you can use 3 forms)

English is a strange language. It uses random unusual stuff. Who knows why.

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I think English is one of the best developed languages in history, TBQH. :)

I like its vast use of semicolons as well, because that's my favourite mark; it looks cool. :monster:

Even English people don't know how to speak the language.

(See: Quin 'n' Tonic for more information.)

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

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Originally Posted by Owen Macwere

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

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Well, in Sweden it's supposed to be used as something between a comma and a period.
Basically, if a comma feels too "weak" and a period feels too "strong", by all means, use the semicolon! :D

English guys also seem to use it when they want to proceed with a sentence, but still stress a pause.

"I checked the forum the other day; it was full of new posts."

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Originally Posted by Peter_20

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Originally Posted by Owen Macwere

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

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Well, in Sweden it's supposed to be used as something between a comma and a period.
Basically, if a comma feels too "weak" and a period feels too "strong", by all means, use the semicolon! :D

English guys also seem to use it when they want to proceed with a sentence, but still stress a pause.

"I checked the forum the other day; it was full of new posts."

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Yes, I read in the back of my English/Arabic dectionary which has a full explanation about semicolons, commas and fullstops. It says that when one sentance is devided into two parts but these two parts are related to each other then we use semicolon between them, correct?.

i guess its a posh people thing, i'm kinda common lol so i would say
"i hope you don't mind but" and then go on to saying it