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[personal profile] fajrdrako


When I read Torchwood: Almost Perfect by James Goss, I noticed that he had a way of using the verb 'to sit' that was new to me. Instead of saying "he sat" or "he was sitting" or even "he sat down", he'd say, "he was sat". Sounds passive to me, but clearly wasn't meant to be. There was no agent but the subject doing the sitting.

I've noticed this several times since, always in a British context. Just now I heard someone say, "you must have been sat in the row behind me" instead of (as I would say) "you must have sat".

Could someone explain to me how this works? Is it a new British expression?

Date: 2009-04-03 08:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seanchaidh.livejournal.com
It does sound passive, but what might be in an active verb phrase: "The waiter sat him at the table near the door."

Date: 2009-04-03 08:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fajrdrako.livejournal.com
I tried to make it mean that, but no. No waiters, no other possibility in the context except people just... sitting. On their own. Not being helped by waiters or ushers or anything.

Date: 2009-04-03 08:41 pm (UTC)
trialia: Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), head down, hair wind-streamed, eyes almost closed. (Default)
From: [personal profile] trialia
It's not passive.

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