meirman
Guest
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: [Grammar Question] I'd rather you made dinner now. |
|
|
In alt.english.usage on Thu, 14 Jul 2005 20:42:07 -0400 "CDB"
<unbellecd@sprint.ca> posted:
| Quote: |
No! I never have to do homework again. Alternatively, that's all I
have to do. Some people post here looking for clarification of their
school assignments, and I thought you might be one of these.
Your question makes difficulties for North Americans like me, who
don't use "rather" to mean "kinda" very much. Assuming that that's
what you're doing, and that the sentence is "I should rather (would
kinda) [verb] [that] you made dinner now," I agree with your
observation that "prefer" works well in the space; so would "prefer it
if" (you said "at least a verb"seemed to be omitted). I prefer one of
those to "hope", which seems to me to call for "would make".
I don't think there's anything wrong with omitting the largely
meaningless "rather" for Leftpondian consumption, or substituting as
above. Why should it always be possible to say the same thing in the
same words in different dialects? Indeed, how could it be?
|
Only if the different dialects were the same.
s/ meirman
Posting from alt.english.usage
--
If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Town NW of Pittsburgh Pa. 0 to 10 years
Indianapolis 7 years
Chicago 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 22 years |
|
Kung Fu Master Qui Chang
Guest
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 6:52 am
Post subject: Re: I'd rather you made dinner now. |
|
|
CDB wrote:
| Quote: | "Northtip" <NorthTip@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:edgdd1tkkn4t0u2bqnnksk1qdlerujltlg@4ax.com...
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 15:12:56 -0400, "CDB" <unbellecd@sprint.ca
wrote:
"Northtip" <NorthTip@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:0gbdd1h22rvspcvhtian16rh9ajkvm55cj@4ax.com...
I'd rather ( . . . ) you made dinner now.
Although I understand I have to accept and use idiomatic
expressions
as they are, I can't help but wonder what word or words would have
occupied the space indicated by the parentheses in the above
sentence.
At least a verb seems to be omitted. Would you know what is?
Homework? The problem with inserting a verb is the form of the verb
already there in the subordinate clause. If it were the infinitive,
"make", you could put in all kinds of things: "have", "see", "let",
"make". Taking the sentence as it stands, we are forced to seek
expedients.
The obvious word is "that". Otherwise, with a little imagination, I
suppose you could stick in "cry over the spilt milk while" or "lie
on
the kitchen floor in abandoned poses while", or some other such.
"[S]crub down the dungeon and oil the rack while" is an option, but
would require a certain emphasis on the word "[now]".
You also seem to need to do some homework. I agree with you that the
obvious word is 'that', which is usually optional. The main clause
before the missing 'that' needs to have a verb in addition to the
auxillary verb, would, in other grammarically correct sentences: I'd
rather + verb + that...
That is why I said a verb seemed to be omitted. I was wondering what
would be the most appropriate word in this situation.
No! I never have to do homework again. Alternatively, that's all I
have to do. Some people post here looking for clarification of their
school assignments, and I thought you might be one of these.
Your question makes difficulties for North Americans like me, who
don't use "rather" to mean "kinda" very much. Assuming that that's
what you're doing, and that the sentence is "I should rather (would
kinda) [verb] [that] you made dinner now," I agree with your
observation that "prefer" works well in the space; so would "prefer it
if" (you said "at least a verb"seemed to be omitted). I prefer one of
those to "hope", which seems to me to call for "would make".
I don't think there's anything wrong with omitting the largely
meaningless "rather" for Leftpondian consumption, or substituting as
above.
|
tell that to Dan Rather!
Why should it always be possible to say the same thing in the
> same words in different dialects? Indeed, how could it be? |
|
FAQ
Memberlist
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in