Saturday, July 21, 2007

In Scottish English

An example was made famous by Hamish and Dougal

You'll have had your tea?
as a greeting. The implication is that I (having made the utterance) am not going to put myself in the position in which I would have to offer you tea, lest you had not had any.

More common, is the construction of the form

You will not be wanting a drink?
uttered by a person who should offer you one but wishes not to.

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