Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site gatech.CSNET
Path: utzoo!linus!gatech!brat
From: brat@gatech.CSNET (Steven Goldberg)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Past participle of 'open'
Message-ID: <1395@gatech.CSNET>
Date: Thu, 3-Oct-85 15:33:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: gatech.1395
Posted: Thu Oct  3 15:33:31 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Oct-85 04:29:09 EDT
Organization: School of Information and Computer Science, Georgia Tech, Atlanta
Lines: 28
Keywords: grammar

I recently had an argument with my officemate over the past participle
for the verb 'to open'.  I held that, while 'opened' is a perfectly
valid word, there is an older participle which is nothing but the
infinitive, 'open'.  In other words, the following sentences would
be identical:

	The door was open by the man with the one red shoe.
	The door was opened by the man with the one red shoe.

I pose the question to linguists and grammarians who might know for
certain, since I believe the former has been overgeneralized in usage
to become the latter.  (I accept that 'opened' is perfectly valid,
but am curious about 'open'.)

I realize that 'open' can be used as an adjective to form the passive,
such as, "The door is open," meaning that the door stands open.  I contend
that this came from the past participle, just like with any other verb.
(Such as, "The door is closed," where 'closed' is a past participle.)

Any responses would be greatly appreciated, particularly positive ones.
Please respond via mail to brat@gatech.  Thanks in advance,
						Steven
-- 
Steven Goldberg

CSNet:	brat@gatech		ARPA:	brat.gatech@csnet-relay
UUCP:	...!{sb1,allegra,ut-ngp}!gatech!brat 
	...!decvax!duke!mcnc!msdc!gatech!brat


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com