 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010There
re: There Let me ask a question about the usage of "there" in following sentences from a novel. "I'm a felonious moonlighter. There. The whole truth. You're going to hear it." "Let's go sit." (P.Cornwell) What I'm confused with is which way is pointed at by "there". Dose "there" point at the previous sentence or what will be revealed as the whole truth? If it were "Here", it would indicate what is going to come up. But THERE, I don't know. > re: There > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > If it were "Here", it would indicate what is going to come up. > But THERE, I don't know. It's used just as an interjection in this case. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/there  SignatureSkitt (AmE) >re: There > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >If it were "Here", it would indicate what is going to come up. >But THERE, I don't know. An interjection used to mean, in this case, "There, I've said it." SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida Masa filted: >re: There > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >Dose "there" point at the previous sentence or what will be revealed >as the whole truth? Could be either...could also be an actual place that the speaker is indicating where they can "go sit" and the "whole truth" can be explained.... This is quite a thought-provoking question...we use "there" in English as an interjection indicating completion [1], as Skitt points out, but I'm not entirely sure why that particular word was chosen...you cause us to consider our own language in ways that might not otherwise cross our minds....r [1] The sense is something like Japanese "yatta", but that at least has the advantage of making literal sense in most contexts.... SignatureA pessimist sees the glass as half empty. An optometrist asks whether you see the glass more full like this?...or like this? >Masa filted: >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >[1] The sense is something like Japanese "yatta", but that at least has the >advantage of making literal sense in most contexts.... It's common enough, as in the song "There! I've said it again". In this case, without a repeat, it means "There! I've finally said it." So, in a way, it points to the foregoing sentence as the OP suggested. SignatureJohn > Masa filted: >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> >> [ ... ] > This is quite a thought-provoking question...we use "there" in English as an > interjection indicating completion [1], as Skitt points out, but I'm not > entirely sure why that particular word was chosen...you cause us to > consider our > own language in ways that might not otherwise cross our minds....r It's also used (I'm not sure if it can be regarded as an extension of the same sense, or as a different one) for calming crying children, but usually then it's reduplicated: "There, there". Signatureathel >> Masa filted: >>> [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >the same sense, or as a different one) for calming crying children, but >usually then it's reduplicated: "There, there". OED: there, adv. (a., n.) 7. Used interjectionally, usually to point (in a tone of vexation, dismay, derision, satisfaction, encouragement, etc.) to some fact, condition, or consummation, presented to the sight or mind. Hence there-there vb. trans., to soothe or comfort by saying these words. 1535 COVERDALE Ps. xxxiv. [xxxv.] 21 They gape vpon me with their mouthes, sayenge: there, there [1611 Aha, aha!]: we se it with oure eyes. 1596 SHAKES. Merch. V. III. i. 87 Why there, there, there, there, a diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats. 1606 Tr. & Cr. V. v. 43 Ajax. Troylus, thou coward Troylus. Diom. I, there, there. 1788 J. O'KEEFFE Prisoner at large I. vi, There, sir, the bed's ready. 1798 JANE AUSTEN Lett. (1952) 42 There! I may now finish my letter and go and hang myself. 1824 SCOTT St. Ronan's xxx, ‘There now’, said Touchwood, ‘there was a rencontre between them--the very thing I wanted to know’. 1840 T. C. HALIBURTON Clockmaker 3rd Ser. xx. 284 It's no such thing, says mother, quite snappishly; Sam is only twenty-one last Thanksgiving-day, and he was born just nine months and one day arter we was married, so there now. 1856 MRS. CARLYLE Lett. (1883) II. 295 There! I have put my foot in it! 1872 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 514/1 ‘There, there’, my poor father answered, ‘it is not that’. 1875 L. TROUBRIDGE Life amongst Troubridges (1966) 101 There now, if I haven't entirely forgotten to say anything about the boys. 1876 STEVENSON Lett. (1901) I. iii. 115 There, that's your prophecy did that! 1878 BROWNING La Saisiaz 49 There, the dread descent is over. 1888 ‘J. S. WINTER’ Bootle's Childr. ix, And, indeed--but there, what's the good of talking about it. 1893 BURRELL & CUTHELL Indian Mem. 210 But there! I was not going to tell you how you felt. 1894 ‘J. S. WINTER’ Red-Coats 55 My life's my own to do what I like with, and I'm going to 'em now; so there! 1903 Daily Chron. 28 Oct. 7/1 She showered blows upon the lad's head and shoulders, with the words,..‘There now, how do you like it?’ 1924 R. MACAULAY Orphan Island xxi. 280, I suppose you think I'm in love with you. Well, I'm not, so there. 1938 D. RUNYON Furthermore viii. 159 He..starts whispering, ‘There, there, there, my itty oddleums.’ 1948 ‘J. TEY’ Franchise Affair iv. 39 Only one thing your Aunt Lin makes better than me..hot cross buns, and that's only once a year. So there! 1968 J. SANGSTER Touchfeather xv. 180, I was sobbing my heart out on his chest and he was there there-ing me all over the place. 1969 Listener 15 May 698/1 But Gwen was going to marry her lecherous tutor, so there. 1977 ‘E. CRISPIN’ Glimpses of Moon xii. 240 There, There, sir. 1977 C. DEXTER Silent World N. Quinn 254 Joyce took the baby..and lovingly there-thered his raucous cries. SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) > It's also used (I'm not sure if it can be regarded as an extension of > the same sense, or as a different one) for calming crying children, but > usually then it's reduplicated: "There, there". Or the slightly sterner, but possibly confusing, "Now then!" SignatureAndy Clews University of Sussex *** Remove DENTURES if replying by email *** > Masa filted: >> re: There [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > entirely sure why that particular word was chosen...you cause us to consider our > own language in ways that might not otherwise cross our minds....r Là, là, là. SignatureRob Bannister >re: There > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >What I'm confused with is which way is pointed at by "there". >Dose "there" point at the previous sentence Yes, it does. SignatureRegards, Chuck Riggs, An American who lives near Dublin, Ireland and usually spells in BrE |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.