Re: diagramming sentences

[anne mullin <mullanne@isu.edu>]

I think you need to find a pedestal to put the baby shoes on.

Sara Kimball wrote:
> 
> Well, then there's the condition that overtakes grammar students that I
> call "pedestalitis."  Students get freaked by the pedestals and interpret
> them as devices for representing anything strange; my classes always
> experience some degree of this, even when I try my best to present the
> pedestals as devices for representing structures that occupy noun slots
> but have internal structure themselves.  I had one student my first year
> at UT who had such an extreme case that I started calling her
> "Katie-put-it-on-a-pedestal" to tease her.  Interestingly enough, she's
> the only student from any of my grammar classes who has gone on to get an
> advanced degree in linguistics.  I just got a note from her last week
> saying that she's just had a baby, so I'm going to have fun shopping for
> something for  this baby as well as for my nephew who's scheduled to
> arrive later this week. :)
> 
> Sara
>