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Kook j Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Be

Hi. Could you please explain the use of be in these cases?

We be burning.
The world be like.
Why be anonymous?

It's not that I'm completely unable to understand what the sentences generally mean but I don't understand why they are not
'We are burning' or 'The world would be like' or 'Why are you anonymous'.

Thank you in advance.
  

Top answer

As they stand, the first two are incorrect. In the last example, be is a plain/bare infinitive. The sentence is an exclamation rather than a question.

— Cool Breeze

  • As they stand, the first two are incorrect.
  • In the last example, be is a plain/bare infinitive.
  • The sentence is an exclamation rather than a question.
  • Another similar example: Why do it now?
  • We can do it tomorrow.
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4 Answers
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As they stand, the first two are incorrect. In the last example, be is a plain/bare infinitive. The sentence is an exclamation rather than a question. Another similar example: Why do it now? We can do it tomorrow.

CB
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kook j Could you please explain the use of be in these cases?
It only works with "Why?"

Odd as it may seem, I see it as questioning an implied order. With the order made explicit, you have these:

— Be quiet!
— Why be quiet?

— Be anonymous!
— Why be anonymous?

— Do it now!
— Why do it now (when I can do it later)
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Thank you very much CJ! It's been a while but I'm glad that you are still around. Emotion: embarrassed
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