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Imperative plus Ψ een `why'.

To soften the force of an imperative, or to make it more deferential, Ψ een `why' can be affixed to the imperative. The meaning is `why don't (you) (verb)' or `why not (verb)' or `how about (you verb)'. When the imperative is negative, the English might be `Don't bother/trouble (yourself) to (verb)'. When Ψ een is added to a polite imperative, the final ª l is present.



Vasu Renganathan
Sat Nov 2 21:16:08 EST 1996