Glenda,

Craig has referred to Joan Bybee, who has pointed out how language most commonly used gets bent toward a social purpose, one that binds the speaker to the listener together as members of a common culture. Given that, you might also look at other parts of that first line: ". . . I'm gonna write me some music . . ." What would you say about the word "me"? Is it an indirect object as in "I'm gonna get me some food"? Or, does it add something to the art of writing that intensifies the depth of the experience contained in the writing itself as it might be shared with others? When language gets bent toward social purposes, ambiguities arise that bind us ever more tightly in a culture. This, in turn, helps us survive. If evolution is about the survival of the fittest, then language evolves so that we might evolve, as well, by ascending to greater heights through the vitality of our culture. I think Langston Hughes was writing about that, as well.

Gregg

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On July 1, 2014, at 4:17 PM, Craig G. Hancock wrote:

Glenda,

This "be going to" construction has been written about very thoughtfully by Joan Bybee. It has gramamticalized fairly recently (since Shakespeare's time) from a construction for expressing movement toward a place, to a construction expressing intention, to a construction that expresses epistemic prediction. ("I am going to New York. I am going to write a novel. It is going to rain hard.) In those last two manifestations, it can act as a substitute for "will." The best way to analyze your example, i think, is as modal auxiliary for "write." When the construction is followed by a noun ("I am going to the store"), "to the store" functions as a prepositional phrase.

It's interesting to know that all our modals have gramamticalized from lexical verbs, most of that during the period for which we have written records. Bybee uses this as a key part of her argument for seeing language as "a complex adaptive system."

Unlike "will," be going to can also convey past intention. ("I was going to pay my bills, but I ran out of money."

Lanston Hughes' work makes for great classroom study since he uses nonstandard forms so thoughtfully and wisely.

Craig

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On July 1, 2014, at 4:17 PM, Glenda Conway wrote:

Subject: "I'm gonna write"--verb + infinitive or verb + auxiliary?

Greetings—

Today, in my Advanced English Grammar class, I showed Langston Hughes’s “Daybreak in Alabama” as an example of a poem with two sentences.

I realized while showing the poem that I was not sure how to divide the slots of the first main clause, which is

…I’m gonna write me some music about

Daybreak in Alabama….

Shall I think of “I’m gonna write” as being equivalent to “I will write,” thus considering “[a]m gonna” as an auxiliary to “write”?

Or shall I think of “I’m gonna write” as being equivalent to “I am going to write,” thus considering “to write…” an adverbial infinitive phrase?

I would love to read some discussion on this clause and to be able to share it with my students afterward.

Thanks,

Glenda Conway

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Second response

On July 5, 2014, at 7:39 AM Gregg Heacock wrote:

Hi Glenda,

Though terminology associated with grammar and syntax is useful in grouping words associated with the concept of making something happen, I think such categorization is most productive if it leads to an analysis of steps taken in making things happen. Actions break down into steps. Conditionals are considerations of circumstances required or desired to take action. Our ability, intent, and obligation are also factored in. The question arises, though, in terms of focus. If you are going to get married, "married" is the focus. The same would be so if you were fixin' to get married. But, what if you are preparing to get married? When does our focus shift from the goal to the steps taken to achieve that goal?

The same question arises when a student writes, "I started to climb the fence." How does "started" differ from the act of climbing? John R. Searle writes that the grammar of action breaks down into many steps. But, in these, action begins with the general intent to act, followed by a direct intent that initiates the action, itself. I think that young writers have an unconscious awareness of that second intention that shows up in their writing as "started to." The question is: What does that signify to the reader.

The other question is this: When does a term like "fixin' to" achieve a cultural buy-in to what is being said because it asserts a shared belief: "Around here we like take our own good time when doin' somethin' so it don't cause no problems." Our brains love this stuff, especially that "around here" that we now hear in commercials selling solid principles of financial planning. When words acquire strong emotional overtones, they have been bent to a social purpose that changes their meaning and significance to an audience.

I would say, Glenda, in connecting with Marshall as you have, you have introduced personal information (speaking of social purpose) that adds greatly to the discussion you initiated some time ago. Let me go back to the beginning to ask about the use of "me" in Langston Hughes' line "I'm gonna write me some music . . ." Is it like: "I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter"? Is it like: "I'm gonna write it myself"? Or, is it something else? And, if so, what grammatical, syntactical term would be used to categorize it? This is not a rhetorical question. I really don't know.

Perhaps someone out there can help me.

Thanks,

Gregg

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On Jul 4, 2014, at 6:36 PM, Glenda Conway wrote:

Hi Marshall!

Where I live, the wording is "I'm fixin' to. We like to take our own good time when doing so won't cause a disaster.

Are you retired? Where are you living?

It's so good to hear you here.

Glenda

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On Jul 4, 2014, at 6:20 PM, Marshall Myers wrote:

Glenda,

Old classmate here!

“Going to” is many times regarded as a two-word modal auxiliary like the related “can,” may,” might” and others.

“I’m going to go”

“I may go.”

Marshall Myers

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Herbert, I am curious to hear your response. –– Gregg