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Jackson6612 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Suppose he don't open
Hi
I heard this line "Suppose he don't open the door" in the movie All the King's Men (2006) which is based on the novel of the same name published in 1946. The character who speaks this line is a literate one. Was the form "he don't + verb" common in the past?
I heard this line "Suppose he don't open the door" in the movie All the King's Men (2006) which is based on the novel of the same name published in 1946. The character who speaks this line is a literate one. Was the form "he don't + verb" common in the past?
Top answer
This novel's set in the 1930s right? As far as I know "he don't" was considered incorrect in the 1930s in America, just as it is today in the USA and Britain. But an educated person might easily speak like that for effect.
- This novel's set in the 1930s right?
- As far as I know "he don't" was considered incorrect in the 1930s in America, just as it is today in the USA and Britain.
- But an educated person might easily speak like that for effect.
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6 Answers
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This novel's set in the 1930s right? As far as I know "he don't" was considered incorrect in the 1930s in America, just as it is today in the USA and Britain. But an educated person might easily speak like that for effect.
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AnonymousThis novel's set in the 1930s right? As far as I know "he don't" was considered incorrect in the 1930s in America, just as it is today in the USA and Britain. But an educated person might easily speak like that for effect.Thanks, Anon. "like that for effect" - What kind of "effect" that would be? It wasn't a comedy scene. It was a bit serious
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I'm afraid we can't guess what the author of the book or the writer of the screenplay had in mind.
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Hi,
"He don't," although common in conversation, would be considered nonstandard contrasted to the standard "He doesn't." It would be surprising for a very well educated person to say it, except in jest. So, if a literate person said it, he's probably not very literate.
JB
"He don't," although common in conversation, would be considered nonstandard contrasted to the standard "He doesn't." It would be surprising for a very well educated person to say it, except in jest. So, if a literate person said it, he's probably not very literate.
JB
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jbachman08he's probably not very literate.JB: The character who spoke this line was a PhD!
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Hi,
PhD's, and I happen to be one, don't normally speak that way. He might have been trying to mimic a lesser-educated person. Of course, there are always exceptions, but I would not recommend you speak that way yourself unless you are trying to mimic someone else, and that is risky.
More context is needed. To what, or to whom, does the "he" in the sentence refer? "'Open" what?
PhD's, and I happen to be one, don't normally speak that way. He might have been trying to mimic a lesser-educated person. Of course, there are always exceptions, but I would not recommend you speak that way yourself unless you are trying to mimic someone else, and that is risky.
More context is needed. To what, or to whom, does the "he" in the sentence refer? "'Open" what?
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