Your suggestion that "requests" is the origin, seems plausible: the primrose path is that the word is a derived noun in the plural with
developer serving as the subject of the underlying verb. This would then be a NP title heading: the requests that developers make to assume role(s). It is not until the final
s is found lacking that the interpreter is obliged to back up and try again, or admit that many requests may have the same role in common. In either case the situation described is unfamiliar and the first NP is tried again, this time with
requests as a verb.
Bruce
---
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From: Odile Sullivan-Tarazi <
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To:
[log in to unmask]Subject: Unidiomatic construction?
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:27:51 -0700
The following callout is one of a series (all telegraphic style) that
describe the actions depicted in a complex figure --
Developer requests to assume role
The sentence is perfectly parallel with the others, all of which read
fine. This one alone seems awkward. In fact, to my ears, it does not
sound idiomatic.
Why?
Has it something to do with restrictions on the way in which we use
either "request" or "assume"? Restrictions which we may not
consciously recognize as native speakers, but which we abide by
nonetheless? I don't think it's a structural thing. Or am I missing
something on that score?
I can't puzzle it out. I'm hoping someone here can enlighten me.
Thanks!
Odile
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