Double copula
Encyclopedia
The double copula, also known as the double is and reduplicative copula, is the nonstandard usage of two successive copulae in the English language
when only one is necessary. For example:
This should not be confused with legitimate usages of two successive copulae, such as:
In the latter sentence, "What my point is" is a dependent clause
, and functions as a subject. In the former sentence, "My point" is a complete subject, and requires only one copula.
The term double is, though commonly used to describe this practice, is somewhat inaccurate, since other forms of the word (such as "was", "were") can be used in the same manner:
According to the third edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage
(as revised by Robert Burchfield
), the double copula originated around 1971 in the United States
and had spread to the United Kingdom
by 1987.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
when only one is necessary. For example:
- My point is, is that...
This should not be confused with legitimate usages of two successive copulae, such as:
- What my point is is that...
In the latter sentence, "What my point is" is a dependent clause
Clause
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. In some languages it may be a pair or group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate, although in other languages in certain clauses the subject may not appear explicitly as a noun phrase,...
, and functions as a subject. In the former sentence, "My point" is a complete subject, and requires only one copula.
The term double is, though commonly used to describe this practice, is somewhat inaccurate, since other forms of the word (such as "was", "were") can be used in the same manner:
- The problem being, is that...
According to the third edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage
Fowler's Modern English Usage
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage , by Henry Watson Fowler , is a style guide to British English usage, pronunciation, and writing...
(as revised by Robert Burchfield
Robert Burchfield
Robert William Burchfield CNZM CBE was a scholar, writer, and lexicographer.Born in Wanganui, New Zealand, he studied at Wanganui Technical College and Victoria University in Wellington...
), the double copula originated around 1971 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and had spread to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by 1987.
External links
- Double "is" at alt-usage-english.org
- The Reduplicative Copula Is Is