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Offline Noemon

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"The thing/problem is"
« on: February 11, 2008, 02:53:11 PM »
I've been noticing people using the construction "The thing/problem is is" quite a bit lately("The thing is is that I don't want to do that", for example, or "the problem is is that nobody wants to be seen being nice to a jerk).  Often there is a pause after the first "is".  It seems to me that "the thing/problem is" is being treated by the speaker almost as  a compound word that indicates complication or objection, with the "is" in it not functioning as a verb in the sentence.

So for Jon and goofy, do you guys agree that that's what's happening here?  Is there a name for it?  Are there other phrases in English that are going this direction?  And have I brought this up before?  I'm getting a feeling of deja vu.



 
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Offline Jonathon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2008, 03:02:34 PM »
I'm familiar with the construction, but I don't know what the proper analysis of it is (or if there even is one). I'll try to see what I can dig up.
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Offline Primal Curve

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2008, 03:08:45 PM »
It's a nominatizing subversital conjufraternizing case with an intervinative dipthongic wangadangdodal.

Seriously, how do you not know this?
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Offline Porter

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2008, 03:15:03 PM »
Here's the deal:
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Offline Jonathon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2008, 03:18:40 PM »
Quote
It's a nominatizing subversital conjufraternizing case with an intervinative dipthongic wangadangdodal.

Seriously, how do you not know this?
You made that up. There's no such thing as a wangadangdodal.
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Offline Porter

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2008, 03:20:27 PM »
There is now!
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Offline goofy

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2008, 03:31:25 PM »
ISIS

ISIS

more ISIS

sometimes it's nonstandard
"The thing is is that it all depends on the graphic card's drivers"
sometimes it's standard
"What it is, is football"
sometimes it's a disfluency.

 
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Offline Noemon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2008, 03:37:51 PM »
What does "ISIS" stand for in those three links?  In any case, the site linked to by the first to is fantastic--I'm going to have a great time browsing there.  The site in the third link I can't get to from work, so while it may be even more fantastic, I won't know until I get home from work here in an hour or two.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2008, 03:38:06 PM by Noemon »
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Offline Jonathon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2008, 03:41:21 PM »
"Isis" and "extris" are ways of referring to the phenomenon you're asking about. The first one is not an acronym.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2008, 03:41:40 PM by Jonathon »
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Offline goofy

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2008, 03:58:39 PM »
Language Log: for all your language needs.
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Offline Noemon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2008, 04:44:59 PM »
Quote
"Isis" and "extris" are ways of referring to the phenomenon you're asking about. The first one is not an acronym.
Ah--I didn't realize (in my defense, I'm at work and mostly focusing on a project, so I only skimmed the replies and the links).
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I hope you have a wonderful adventure in Taiwan. Not a swashbuckling adventure, just a prawn flavored pringles adventure.

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Offline Noemon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2008, 04:45:14 PM »
Quote
Language Log: for all your language needs.
So it would seem!
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-pooka

I hope you have a wonderful adventure in Taiwan. Not a swashbuckling adventure, just a prawn flavored pringles adventure.

-pooka

Offline pooka

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2008, 10:55:05 AM »
Is there a context in which "The thing is that..." is not replaceable by "Well..." or "So..."?

I guess it's an introjective phrase.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2008, 10:56:04 AM by pooka »
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Offline Ela

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2008, 10:16:50 AM »
Who's goofy?
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Offline Jonathon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2008, 10:19:28 AM »
Someone who came across my Arrant Pedantry blog a while back and later joined the forum.
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Offline Ela

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #15 on: February 29, 2008, 10:23:04 AM »
Sucked in, eh? :)
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Offline Tante Shvester

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #16 on: February 29, 2008, 10:32:12 AM »
Suckah!
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Offline Ela

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #17 on: February 29, 2008, 10:33:02 AM »
:lol:  
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Offline rivka

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #18 on: February 29, 2008, 11:30:18 AM »
Shouldn't that be "suckee"?
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Offline goofy

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #19 on: February 29, 2008, 01:03:18 PM »
Quote
Who's goofy?
I am.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #20 on: February 29, 2008, 01:42:35 PM »
Quote
Shouldn't that be "suckee"?
Are you talking dirty to me?
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She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- anonymous

Offline Neutros the Radioactive Dragon

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #21 on: February 29, 2008, 02:13:49 PM »
No, but would you be offended if I said I had a hankering for kosher chicken soup?
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Offline Tante Shvester

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #22 on: February 29, 2008, 02:19:13 PM »
Come on by!  Soup's on the stove!
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Fighting thread drift with guilt, reverse psychology, and chicken soup.
Sweet! Law of Moses loopholes! -- Anneke
I love Bones.  -- Sweet Clementine
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- anonymous

Offline rivka

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #23 on: February 29, 2008, 03:36:31 PM »
Quote
Quote
Shouldn't that be "suckee"?
Are you talking dirty to me?
What do you think?
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Offline Ela

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"The thing/problem is"
« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2008, 09:42:57 PM »
Quote
Quote
Who's goofy?
I am.
Hi, goofy!  :)  
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