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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007Gave some letters
Hello: Could this "gave some letters" mean he **wrote (out)** some letters? I know that one of the meanings of "give" is "bring forth." ----- I went back into my office and gave some letters until lunch. All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren, p. 555 ----- Difficult to believe that he **handed** those letters to a messenger or someone else for such a long period (until lunch). Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > > Could this "gave some letters" mean he **wrote (out)** some letters? > I know that one of the meanings of "give" is "bring forth." The implied expression, IMO, was "gave dictation of some letters," which RPW shortened to "gave some letters." Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego > The implied expression, IMO, was "gave dictation of some letters," > which RPW shortened to "gave some letters." That was my feeling too, but this usage doesn't exist in the novel until that point, nor is any secretary working for him (Jake) in this fashion, not explicitly. Thanks. Marius Hancu > Could this "gave some letters" mean he **wrote (out)** some letters? > I know that one of the meanings of "give" is "bring forth." [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren, p. 555 > ----- More likely he dictated them. It's not a familiar expression to me, though.  SignatureMark Brader, Toronto "E-mail is amazing when it's amazing!" msb@vex.net -- Robert Biddle >> Could this "gave some letters" mean he **wrote (out)** some letters? >> I know that one of the meanings of "give" is "bring forth." [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > More likely he dictated them. It's not a familiar expression to me, > though. Where I live, (GB), in the days before computers, one "gave" dictation, first saying, "Miss Brown, take a letter", but I agree, I would not think of saying that I "gave" Miss Brown a letter, unless I meant to imply that it was an actual tangible paper letter. >> Could this "gave some letters" mean he **wrote (out)** some letters? >> I know that one of the meanings of "give" is "bring forth." [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >More likely he dictated them. It's not a familiar expression to me, though. Yes, I suppose after saying "Take a letter, Miss Smith," the boss would "give" the letter. I haven't heard it before either, though. SignatureArchie Valparaiso > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Difficult to believe that he **handed** those letters to a messenger > or someone else for such a long period (until lunch). No, it's a reasonable back-formation from the familiar phrase "Take a letter, Miss ..." which a boss says before dictating to a secretary. So if she takes it, he gives it. -- > > I went back into my office and gave some letters until lunch. > > Difficult to believe that he **handed** those letters to a messenger > > or someone else for such a long period (until lunch). [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > which a boss says before dictating to a > secretary. So if she takes it, he gives it. OK. Thank you all. Marius Hancu |
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