3 ms·
The use of baby as lover is well known, but not when phrased like this. I think its because 'baby' needs to have ownership attributed to it to imply partner.
by kraftman 8y ago
The use of baby as lover is well known, but not when phrased like this. I think its because 'baby' needs to have ownership attributed to it to imply partner.
- Buldak 8y agoMy sense is that "baby" is a term of endearment that is typically addressed to someone in particular. Similarly, you might express affection for someone by calling them "dear" or "honey," but it would be weird to say "I want a dear" or "I want a honey."
- nubbins 8y agoI think thats right, using the slang baby as a direct object is rare but possible. “I shot my baby” e.g., but using it with “another baby” really throws it off because a lover is not something you usually have multiple of at the same time so there is not enough context to resolve the ambiguity and lots of natives default to the wrong meaning.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- jpangs88 8y agoI always thought they just forgot the comma. "All that she wants is another, baby." I am an native english speaker that moved to Sweden. I am currently learning swedish and the swedish language doesn't use commas in the same way. I think a comma, even in just the lyrics (or a pause in the song), would have made things clearer.
- singlow 8y agoBut the comma would make _baby_ refer to the listener as an addressee of the singer (vocative). That is not the meaning the article says is appropriate. Commas are not put between a determiner and its noun so a comma would give a third meaning, turning _another_ into a pronoun.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- jpangs88 8y agoOh now I've misinterpreted this song two times haha. Thanks for the help.