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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Speech representation | 823

Even greater dramatisation can be produced by using the present progressive with

the reporting verb, with the possibility of shifting from the historic present (simple

form) to progressive at particularly important moments in the narrative:

[speaker is talking about Britain’s National Lottery; a ‘tenner’ is ten pounds

sterling]

He 

says, ‘Oh no, I’ve won a tenner twice,’ and I’m saying, ‘When?’ you know,

‘You didn’t tell me!’

Use of I says, go, be and be like

501e

I says

and the use of go, be and be like to dramatise direct speech are considered by many

people to be non-standard and grammatically unacceptable. However, they are widespread

and normal within major social varieties of British English (

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84

).

Although many would consider it a grammatically unacceptable form, I says is very

common as a dramatising reporting clause in informal speech:

[narrating an incident where the speaker feels he was overcharged for a film for his camera]

A: I called in, they charged £9.99 for the same film. [tuts] I says ‘You’re overcharging for

that film you know.’ So he says, ‘Oh that’s what the price says.’ 

I says, ‘I won’t come

here again you know.’ 

B: Yes. Yeah.

A: ‘You won’t get me in here again.’ It’s only because I was in a bit of a hurry. 

In very informal spoken language, go, be and be like may be used to report direct speech.

They are often accompanied by dramatising body-language or a change in the speaker’s

voice to suggest a dramatic re-creation of the original speech.

Such usage is often considered non-standard and bad style. However, it occurs in a wide

range of informal conversations, especially among younger speakers.

Go

, be and be like may be further dramatised by the use of the present simple form:

I was embarrassed and when we were out and I had a dress on, 

she went, ‘Look at her

legs, she’s got hairy legs.’

He goes, ‘It will cost you 75 quid.’ And I’m, you know, ‘We can’t afford that!’

He keeps coming and trying to kiss me and 

I’m like, ‘Go away! Go away!’ 

I was like, ‘Oh, thank God for that!’ you know.

Go

also occurs in progressive aspect:

There were like magazines flying all over my room and 

I’m going, ‘Oh I can’t get up.

Can’t get up.’

In very informal contexts, first person I may occur with third person goes. This is likely to be

considered incorrect and unacceptable usage by many people:

[talking about looking after someone’s dog for the day]

She said, ‘You’ve got a little friend to look after tomorrow.’ And 

I goes , ‘Has he got four

legs?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ 

A–Z

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