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grammaticality - In what dialects is "I don't like it too" grammatical?


Consider:


Too — (adv.) also, as well, in addition.


We don’t usually use too in negative clauses; we use either instead:



  • I don’t like that kind of stuff.

  • I don’t like it either.


That said, here’s my concern: I’ve heard a native speaker from the Lake District (in the UK) say “I won’t do it and she won't do it too.”


When asked if that's how he usually phrases such sentences, I got an affirmative answer. This then reminded me of John Lennon’s lyrics to his song “Imagine”, which I had always thought must be wrong:



Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too



Is it grammatical in the UK (or in certain regions) to use too instead of either in such sentences?



Answer



WELSH ENGLISH


The term is recent and controversial. English is, however, the majority language of Wales, and as in other parts of the English-speaking world, a concise term such as "Welsh English" appears unavoidable. (Nikolas Coupland, English in Wales, Clevedon & Philadelphia, 1990.)



Dialects of English in Wales are as diverse as elsewhere in Britain. They vary in terms of pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, but can be broadly categorized as: (1) The English of people who are bilingual, Welsh/English, and whose English is strongly influenced by Welsh. (2) Dialects of English similar to those of neighbouring counties of England, and often sharing features, especially at the syntactic level, with other working-class BrE dialects. (3) Standard English with an RP accent. (Loreto Todd, University of Leeds)



Among non-standard phrases and colloquialisms which reflect an influence from the Welsh Language, we can cite: "We're going out now, isn't it?", "Money they're not short of.", "There's lovely you are!". For more examples and detailed explanantions, see Language in the British Isles, page 192



Finally, typical of Welsh English is the substitution of "too" for "either" in negative sentences.



  • I don't like it.

  • I don't like it too.


Tom McArthur, The Oxford Companion to the English Language, Oxford University Press, 1992.



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