Word use question...

[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?

Comments

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've heard about that PA dialect, though haven't heard it in person. I wonder if it's from the German influence?

Hmm... yes, I don't see 'cos' all that often, but when I do, it's in British print. Or like 'alright' being more or less accepted in some circles now while it still looks terrible to me.

I know there are things I saw that only Canadians say, but I never know what, since to me it just sounds normal.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

though haven't heard it in person

Talk to me sometime. :> It probably is the Germanic influence; get me very tired and distracted and sometimes I do horrible things to English grammar of the "throw Papa down the stairs his hat" variety.

I can live with "alright" but if "should of" ever becomes accepted I think I'll have to kill myself.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

sometimes I do horrible things to English grammar of the "throw Papa down the stairs his hat" variety.

Sounds funny to my ears.

Yes, 'should of' is an abomination.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

It is funny - it's applying German grammar to English, and that makes for an unhappy lingual marriage. But it is not *completely* unheard of in the area where I grew up, because we were right on the edge of the Amish farming community.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

There are reasons to mix English and German - both were born of Germanic languages, and have certain grammatical things in common. But it still sounds very odd.