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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / April 2005a question.
what is the difference in meaning at the sentences below? can you explain the emphasis in each sentence? a) we can only say general idea on subject. b) we can say only general idea on subject. c) we only can say general idea on subject. d) only we can say general idea on subject. thanks in advance. > what is the difference in meaning at the sentences below? > can you explain the emphasis in each sentence? [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > c) we only can say general idea on subject. > d) only we can say general idea on subject. All I can say is that none of teh sentences is grammatical and the meaning of all of them is rather obscure to me, i.e. I can't really make sense of any of them. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan P.S. You also seem to have some problems with prepositions. >> what is the difference in meaning at the sentences below? >> can you explain the emphasis in each sentence? [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >meaning of all of them is rather obscure to me, i.e. I can't really make >sense of any of them. I was going to say the same thing, but taking a guess at what was meant: a) we can only state general ideas on the subject. b) we can state only general ideas on the subject. (a) and (b) mean approximately the same thing, that general ideas are all we can provide, either because those are the only ideas we have, or that's all we are permitted to state. c) we only can state general ideas on the subject. (c) is often used with intent to mean the same as (a) and (b) but I suspect it's not good usage. Perhaps Einde can elucidate. d) only we can state general ideas on the subject. (d) implies that we are the only ones permitted (or perhaps qualified) to state general ideas on the subject. > what is the difference in meaning at the sentences below? > can you explain the emphasis in each sentence? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > thanks in advance. Sounds like a poor attempt to show how 'only' can be placed anywhere in a sentence with differing meanings. Consider: Only my sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. My only sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. My sister only asked me to lend her a few dollars. etc, etc > Sounds like a poor attempt to show how 'only' > can be placed anywhere in a sentence with differing [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > etc, etc yes you are right. you are giving good examples but I have still problems about the meanings of them? In the sentences,what does "only" emphasize? there is no satisfactory answer for me! >>Only my sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. >>My only sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > meanings of them? In the sentences,what does "only" emphasize? there > is no satisfactory answer for me! 'Only' usually emphasises the thing it's nearest to, but sometimes people are careless about where they position it. >>Only my sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. My sister asked; nobody else asked. (One of my sisters asked; nobody else asked.) >>My only sister asked me to lend her a few dollars. I have one sister; it was she who asked; I emphasise the 'only' because she is more special to me because she is my only sister. >>My sister only asked me to lend her a few dollars. She asked; she did not demand, threaten, steal, etc. OR A few dollars is all my sister asked for; she did not ask for anything else. This last example might be confused with: : My sister asked me to lend her only a few dollars The amount is small/inconsequential Owain a) we can only say general idea on subject. b) we can say only general idea on subject. c) we only can say general idea on subject. d) only we can say general idea on subject. a) We are allowed to say (speak) but NOT write etc. b) We are allowed to speak about general idea only and not allowed to discuss any specifics or details. c) We can speak about the general idea if we want, but are not obligated to speak. d) We are the only ones (and nobody else) authorized to speak about the general idea on subject. I hope it helps. Khalid > a) we can only say general idea on subject. > b) we can say only general idea on subject. > c) we only can say general idea on subject. > d) only we can say general idea on subject. None of these sentences is grammatical, so the interpretations below are not particularly useful. Regards, Einde O'Callaghan > a) We are allowed to say (speak) but NOT write etc. > b) We are allowed to speak about general idea only and not allowed to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I hope it helps. > Khalid |
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