|
Had to research this one for some editing that I did a few weeks ago. I was absolutely positive that it was wrong, but the author insisted it was correct, so I did some digging. I found what many of you have noted: it's a dialect version of the accurate past-tense "dragged" and is most commonly used in the US Southeast and Midwest. It is not considered accurate and acceptable English by most editors except as a deliberate affectation. When I see it in anything I edit, I change it, unless there is a desperately compelling reason to keep it as is. To me, it sounds wrong and ignorant of proper grammar and usage. It's a personal pet peeve. The only proper use of the word "drug" is when referring to a chemical or pharmaceutical preparation.
|