british english - How did the practice of identifying an object after using a pronoun evolve?


While watching Barclay's Premier League matches on the Fox Soccer Channel, the announcers often identify an object by name immediately after using a pronoun. For example, in a match occuring right now, I heard:




  • They are dangerous, Liverpool.

  • He was clever, Suarez.



Is there a term to describe this structure? Also, how did it evolve? I've gotten used to it and can appreciate the clarity it provides for a listener, but I wonder why they bother using the pronoun at all.



Answer



The term is Cataphora, described here. It's one of many devices for moving your words around in a sentence to shift the emphasis. In speech it's also a handy device for clarifying your pronoun references when you screw up.


As far as I know, it's been around forever; a quick Google finds that An Introduction to the Grammar of Old English: A Systemic Functional Approach, by Michael Cummings, includes section "7.2.1.2 Anaphora and cataphora".


A favorite instance for me is this:



He’s tough, ma’am,—tough is J. B.; tough and devilish sly. —Dombey and Son



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