I just had to comment that I got such a tickle, reading about the "Aren't" grammar. My mother used to drill me on that until she was blue in the face, so, of course, it has been part of my grammar since childhood. But just as I thought in my little-girl head so long ago, that it didn't make any sense at all, I'm glad to see others of the same mind. Now, just to make things interesting, one of my grandfather's oft-used terms - he farmed his entire life - was "tinkering." I have copies of all his daily journals, from 1890 until 1955, the year he died, and it's amazing how many days, when it was raining or snowing and he couldn't be out working in the fields or other farm work, he reported that he "tinkered" that day. I later on learned that his definition of tinkering was doing whatever came to mind, usually out in his workshop or barn. Karen

Karen says, "I'm glad to see others of the same mind". "Others"? So far, there are just you and me. Yes, I said ME. I once had a fellow tell me, very condescendingly, that "me" is vulgar English. Failing to grasp the opportunity; I later realized that I should have replied, "You're tellng I". I am sure that, when your grandfather referred to his activities during inclement weather as "tinkering", he may have been engaging in self-deprecating humor. My American Heritage dictionary defines tinkering as "To handle something idly, ignorantly, or destructively: fool, mess, meddle, tamper, fiddle". That seems a little narrow-minded to me. I regard a tinkerer, not a tinker, as someone who has an inquiring mind and the dexterity to inquire into the operation of things with which he has very little familiarity. I used to be my wife's repairman. I once disassembled her leaking dishwasher and found two badly worn washers. The washers were not available except in two very expensive kits (one washer in each kit). I went home and reassembled the dishwasher, making sure everything was screwed down tightly. That dishwasher worked fine for three more years. That's tinkering. I'm sure that your grandfather tinkered to the same purpose and effect. Richard Emlin Reed Wesley Chapel, FL ----- Original Message ----- From: <gfeisel@greenapple.com> To: <PADUTCH-LIFE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 3:59 PM Subject: [PD-LIFE] Aren't I? (?????) >I just had to comment that I got such a tickle, reading about the "Aren't" >grammar. My mother used to drill me on that until she was blue in the >face, so, of course, it has been part of my grammar since childhood. But >just as I thought in my little-girl head so long ago, that it didn't make >any sense at all, I'm glad to see others of the same mind. > > Now, just to make things interesting, one of my grandfather's oft-used > terms - he farmed his entire life - was "tinkering." I have copies of all > his daily journals, from 1890 until 1955, the year he died, and it's > amazing how many days, when it was raining or snowing and he couldn't be > out working in the fields or other farm work, he reported that he > "tinkered" that day. I later on learned that his definition of tinkering > was doing whatever came to mind, usually out in his workshop or barn. > > Karen > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message