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

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Coronation Street and Emmerdale are probably the best shows to watch if you want to hear regional accents & dialects.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've never head of Emmerdale - where's it set? I like Coronation Street - my mother used to watch it all the time, and loved their accents as much as I do.

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

Emmerdale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmerdale) is set in Yorkshire. Originally it was called Emmerdale Farm and the plots centred mainly around the farming and local community, but later on it became a bit more soapy. Haven't watched it in years myself, but there was always something down to earth about the show and the accents.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun. Where was "The Archers" set?

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

I've never actually listened to 'The Archers', but I think it's set somewhere in the Midlands.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

...I'm not sure where the midlands are. (Blush.)

[ceindreadh.livejournal.com]

(whispers)
I'm not really sure either, I just looked it up on the wikipedia summary!
My UK geographical education was somewhat sparse.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I knew Birmingham was in the midlands, I just didn't know where Birmingham was... is... and I think I've been there. I've certainly been to the midlands, but that doesn't exactly help!

Anyway, I like that Wikipedia map with the important parts marked out in red.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Midlands

My UK geography is, I like to think, rather good. Better, on the whole, than my knowledge of the US. But it doesn't mean I know where everything is, or remember it all.