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1. For general points of usage see be. Some common and interesting idiomatic uses of is are given here.
• One never knows with these lefties, is what I always say —A. Brink, 1988
• You step up to him and you cart him all over the park, is what you do —S. Fry, 1990
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This use, as the contexts of these examples show, is highly informal.
• (This is nothing to do with your life —H. S. Merriman, 1896
)
5. —is —.
• Let anyone repeat, as often as he pleases, that ‘the will is the will’ —Locke, 1690
• A man’s a man for a’ that —Burns, 1790
• Home is home though it is never so homely —Charles Lamb, 1823
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These older literary uses are echoed in 20c occurrences:
• A job’s a job, that was the thing —Maurice Gee, 1985
• She worried about Colin’s wrist in the cast but a trip out was a trip out, and the day mustn’t be spoiled —N. Virtue, 1990
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Occasionally the word is is repeated (echoing Gertrude Stein’s
• Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose, is a rose… —Sacred Emily, 1913
)
:
• There is only one art form common to all sorts and conditions of people: the poster…A hoarding is a hoarding is a hoarding —Guardian, 1970
.
6. postponed and repeated is.
This somewhat informal use dates from the early 19c:
• He’s a sad pickle, is Sam! —M. Mitford, 1828
• Yes, he is true to type, is Mr Heard —Ronald Knox, 1932
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• No one’s interested, is all —M. Doane, 1988
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This idiomatic expression, used for emphasis at the end of a sentence, sounds dialectal but is found in standard (especially American) works of fiction.
from Publication digest https://ift.tt/3g9Pjr4
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