The Evolution of Pragmatic Markers in English Pathways of Change

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I/You Admit and Admittedly

c. You must admit, that notwithstanding our most humble petition in behalf
of our just claims, you refused to grant those claims (1778 Letters of del-
egates to Congress, 1774– 1789 [UofV])
d. You must admit they would not (1765– 70 Brooke, The fool of quality
[CLMET3.0])
e. but then, Sir, I hope you will admit, that these have arisen solely from my
son’s own undutifulness (1764 Griffi th, The triumvirate [CLMET3.0])
f. and you will admit I was not so very rash in saying that we should all again
be perfectly happy (1835 Sedgwick, The Linwoods [UofV])
g. and you have to admit that its natural tendency is to die. (1884 Drummond,
Natural law in the spiritual world [COHA])
h. Whatever you may say against Jimmy, Jane, you have to admit he has
looks. (1930 Barnes, Years of grace [COHA])

6.6.2 Rise of Parenthetical I/ You Admit

Unambiguous examples of parenthetical admit (those occurring in medial or
fi nal position) do not appear until the eighteenth century or later, as shown in
Table 6.7 and exemplifi ed in (11). You admit is very rare.

(11) a. The Papist declares, I admit , embrace and receive all and singular the Defi ni-
tions and Declarations made by the Council of Trent (1715 Brett, Dr Brett’s vin-
dication of himself [ https:// books.google.ca/ books?id=OEUAAAAAMAAJ] )
for the three former qualities, I admit , make you worthy of happiness (1749
Fielding, Tom Jones [CLMET3.0])
b. I am tempted to open (somewhat irregularly and against our laws, I must
admit ) the clock- case (1800 Dickens, Old curiosity shop [UofV])
And now the thing is past, as I  review it, I  am, I must admit , somewhat
ashamed, to have been so deluded (1827 Judah, The buccaneers [COHA])
c. You have justly laid more stress upon this faculty, I will admit , than has
been usually done (1843 New Englander and Yale Review [COHA])

Table 6.7 Parenthetical uses of admit with fi rst- and second- person subjects

I admit 1715

I must admit 1800

I will admit 1843

I have to admit 1927

you admit 1876

you must admit 1787

you will admit 1823

you have to admit 1969

Source: adapted from Laurel J. Brinton, “From performative to concessive disjunct:

I/you admit and admittedly ,” in Merja Kytö, John Scahill, and Harumi Tanabe (eds.),

Language change and variation from Old English to Late Modern English. Bern: Peter

Lang, 2010, p. 295; with permission.