6

I was watching an episode of Top Gear in which they talked about Chinese cars and one of the hosts (Jeremy) said the following:

It's a good car, that.

I've also heard this sentence somewhere.

It's a fu***** scam, this is.

I can sort of guess that, that in the first sentence is referencing the car, but why say it again? Is it for emphasis?

Could anyone explain how this works?

7
  • 2
    Welcome to EL&U. Adding 'this' and 'that' at the end of a phrase is a part of certain British dialects, particularly Northern England. I am not certain if it is confined to Yorkshire.
    – Nigel J
    Jan 27, 2018 at 14:46
  • That would explain why i've only heard it in British TV Shows and videos/movies. Thank you very much!
    – Vasu
    Jan 27, 2018 at 14:55
  • 1
    Apologies. I misread your rep. I see you are a seasoned user :)
    – Nigel J
    Jan 27, 2018 at 14:58
  • Don't mention it. :)
    – Vasu
    Jan 27, 2018 at 15:01
  • 1
    The first sentence is an example of a right dislocation. Jan 28, 2018 at 11:19

1 Answer 1

3

Those are statement tags. Those two are very informal, and they are used with positive statements.

They invite the listener to agree or comment.

{From English Grammar Today.}

2
  • 1
    Hello, Patriot. Thanks for visiting ELU. Have you a supporting reference to add to improve your answer? Unsupported answers are not considered desirable on ELU; they come across as mere opinion (and sometimes are). Feb 9, 2018 at 12:30
  • Hi Edwin! Thanks for the welcome. Yes, I can provide support for my answer. If I state an opinion, I will always make that clear.
    – user280597
    Feb 9, 2018 at 13:21

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.