Want / Must

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John Smith - 30 Oct 2004 16:58 GMT

Hello,

Recently, I've been told
"[To do this exercise properly] what you want to do is ...".

For me, it sounds a bit odd. I would have said
"if you want to do this exercise then you must do ..."

Is it possible to use sometimes "want" in the sense of "must" ?

Thanks,
JS

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John Hall - 30 Oct 2004 17:06 GMT

>Hello,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Is it possible to use sometimes "want" in the sense of "must" ?

I think that it's increasingly being used colloquially in that sense.

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John Hall
"Sir, I have found you an argument;
but I am not obliged to find you an understanding."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

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FB - 30 Oct 2004 22:58 GMT

>>Hello,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> I think that it's increasingly being used colloquially in that sense.

Meaning "must", not "need"?

Bye, FB

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"The doctors found out that Bunbury could not live, that is what I mean—so
Bunbury died".
"He seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his physicians".
("The Importance of Being Earnest", Oscar Wilde)

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John Hall - 31 Oct 2004 09:55 GMT

>>>Hello,
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
>Meaning "must", not "need"?

Perhaps not, though the distinction between "must do" and "need to do"
in that sentence would be quite a fine one.

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John Hall

"Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes."
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

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FB - 30 Oct 2004 17:07 GMT

> Hello,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Is it possible to use sometimes "want" in the sense of "must" ?

I think it means "need", "had better".

Bye, FB

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Emily: "I'm going to Europe and I'm going to have a marvellous time. I'm
going to get up at ten and have two glasses of wine at lunch every single
day."
Richard: "Only prostitutes have two glasses of wine at lunch!"
(Gilmore Girls, 501)

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Discussion Groups / British English / October 2004

Want / Must