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Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006He did not especially want to ...
Hello: Any reason for preferring "want" vs. "wish" in "[he] did not especially want to go into?" Would your interpretation of each of them be different in this context? ----- [Newland Archer is visiting the senior partner of his law firm.] He had formed his own opinion from the papers entrusted to him, and did not especially want to go into the matter with his senior partner. Edith Wharton, Age of Innocence, p. 109 http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/541/54.html ----- Thanks. Marius Hancu Maybe 'wish' can sometimes express a vague yearning where 'want' would suggest intention? "John wishes that he were taller" perhaps suggests that he merely regrets being short, whereas "John wants to be taller" might imply that he is contemplating surgery or the purchase of built up shoes?. In the context given, I think 'want' might be substituted by "intend", whereas 'wish" might be substituted by "desire". I am willing to be corrected on this... > Maybe 'wish' can sometimes express a vague yearning where 'want' would > suggest intention? "John wishes that he were taller" perhaps suggests [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I am willing to be corrected on this... I don't think it makes much difference in the context. "Did not especially want" is a significant understatement in this case. Jonathan > > Maybe 'wish' can sometimes express a vague yearning where 'want' would > > suggest intention? "John wishes that he were taller" perhaps suggests [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > I don't think it makes much difference in the context. "Did not > especially want" is a significant understatement in this case. Right. Note, though, that "wish" is "higher style" than "want" when they're synonymous. This is because "want" still retains echoes of its colloquial origin in this sense. Sort-of conversely, I sometimes get the impression that "want" may have become slightly "higher" than "lack". (OT: Marius, if I come over there, and I bring the beer, will you take a long weekend off so we can go fishing or something? At this rate of literature-consumption, you'll soon be needing it!)  SignatureMike. > (OT: Marius, if I come over there, and I bring the beer, will you take > a long weekend off so we can go fishing or something? At this rate of > literature-consumption, you'll soon be needing it!) More than welcome:-) Just that I am not into fishing. More into tennis. Marius Hancu >> (OT: Marius, if I come over there, and I bring the beer, will you >> take a long weekend off so we can go fishing or something? At this [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Just that I am not into fishing. More into tennis. I'm embarrassed to ask this, but where is "over there"? I generally read your posts, but have not picked up on where you live (which may indicate a reading problem on my part). By the way, I think "want" in the sentence you quoted is more idiomatic, and more conversational in use, than "wish." SignatureMaria http://www.familyhomefront.net/ AUE: http://www.familyhomefront.net/BirthdaysEtcAUE.html OR: http://tinyurl.com/j4j8n There's only one 'n' in my email address, and it's not in my first name. > I'm embarrassed to ask this, but where is "over there"? I generally read > your posts, but have not picked up on where you live (which may indicate > a reading problem on my part). Montreal, Canada. Marius Hancu >> I'm embarrassed to ask this, but where is "over there"? I generally >> read your posts, but have not picked up on where you live (which may >> indicate a reading problem on my part). > > Montreal, Canada. Thanks. I would have supposed otherwise, though I'd have no reason to. SignatureMaria Resident of southeast Michigan, near Detroit; native of east Tennessee. There's only one 'n' in my email address, and it's not in my first name. > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/541/54.html > ----- To me there is no discernible difference in meaning between "wish" and "want" here. However, "wish" is rather more formal. In everyday conversation, "wish" instead of "want" can tend to sound pedantic or old-fashioned (e.g., on the telephone, "I wish to speak to so-and-so"), although it's fine in other constructions ("I wish you'd stop doing that") > To me there is no discernible difference in meaning between "wish" and > "want" here. However, "wish" is rather more formal. In everyday > conversation, "wish" instead of "want" can tend to sound pedantic or > old-fashioned (e.g., on the telephone, "I wish to speak to so-and-so"), > although it's fine in other constructions ("I wish you'd stop doing > that") Well, thank you for pointing this out. Marius Hancu > To me there is no discernible difference in meaning between "wish" and > "want" here. However, "wish" is rather more formal. In everyday > conversation, "wish" instead of "want" can tend to sound pedantic or > old-fashioned (e.g., on the telephone, "I wish to speak to so-and-so")... Or, possibly, just polite. On the telephone, "I wish to speak..." or "May I please speak.." are fine, but I'm not sure anything involving "want" is acceptable. > although it's fine in other constructions ("I wish you'd stop doing > that"). Really? IMHO, "wish" in that construction really isn't polite - it really means "FFS, stop doing that". Jonathan >> To me there is no discernible difference in meaning between "wish" and >> "want" here. However, "wish" is rather more formal. In everyday [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >"May I please speak.." are fine, but I'm not sure anything involving >"want" is acceptable. British deference makes me say "could I speak to so-and-so please?" (thus making it easy for them to say "no!"). SignatureOn-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk (Waterways World site of the month, April 2001) My Reply-To address *is* valid, though likely to die soon |
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