0
Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
any (2)
Hi,
here we go again for the second time, "any"...
In Italian we have these constructions:
1) double negative: "I wouldn't eat nothing" (= there would be nothing in my stomach)
In English, apart form the double negative, that can be said as "I wouldn't eat anything" or "I would eat nothing".
2) not + every: "I wouldn't eat everything" (= there would be less than everthing in my stomach)
In English, this is the same.
3) not + any: "I wouldn't eat anything" (= I wouldn't be the kind of person that eats anything, it doesn't matter what)
What's this in English? If it remains the same, it also has the meaning of "I would eat nothing"...
An example where this could be used:
- When you come home, you are always so hungry you would eat anything...
- No, come on, I wouldn't eat anything... but probably most of what I can find in the refrigerator! Hehe...
As you see, the underlined part could mean "I would eat nothing", but that's not the meaning instead. Is that possible? In other words, is "NOT + ANY" used with another meaning apart from "NONE"? I still don't understand...
Thankssss
here we go again for the second time, "any"...
In Italian we have these constructions:
1) double negative: "I wouldn't eat nothing" (= there would be nothing in my stomach)
In English, apart form the double negative, that can be said as "I wouldn't eat anything" or "I would eat nothing".
2) not + every: "I wouldn't eat everything" (= there would be less than everthing in my stomach)
In English, this is the same.
3) not + any: "I wouldn't eat anything" (= I wouldn't be the kind of person that eats anything, it doesn't matter what)
What's this in English? If it remains the same, it also has the meaning of "I would eat nothing"...
An example where this could be used:
- When you come home, you are always so hungry you would eat anything...
- No, come on, I wouldn't eat anything... but probably most of what I can find in the refrigerator! Hehe...
As you see, the underlined part could mean "I would eat nothing", but that's not the meaning instead. Is that possible? In other words, is "NOT + ANY" used with another meaning apart from "NONE"? I still don't understand...
Thankssss
Top answer
Hi Kooyeen --you're right, the English gets confusing. " It works the same way with other "any-" words in the negative: "I wouldn't tell anyone" -- no one at all. "I wouldn't tell just anyone" -- I would be very selective in choosing who to tell.
- Hi Kooyeen --you're right, the English gets confusing.
- " It works the same way with other "any-" words in the negative: "I wouldn't tell anyone" -- no one at all.
- "I wouldn't tell just anyone" -- I would be very selective in choosing who to tell.
- and so on.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
Hi Kooyeen --you're right, the English gets confusing. For the meaning you want, we would probably say "I wouldn't eat just anything!" (If you want to emphasize the other meaning, you could say "I wouldn't eat anything at all." It works the same way with other "any-" words in the negative:
"I wouldn't tell anyone" -- no one at all.
"I wouldn't tell just an
"I wouldn't tell anyone" -- no one at all.
"I wouldn't tell just an
00
Yikes! Yes, you can add just for 3, but you also do it with the stress pattern. Oof! How am I going to explain this in writing?
In 1 the pitch barely rises at all on the word anything.
There is a continuous rhythmic movement into the word anything.
In 3 the pitch rises higher on the word anything.
There is a very slight stop in the
In 1 the pitch barely rises at all on the word anything.
There is a continuous rhythmic movement into the word anything.
In 3 the pitch rises higher on the word anything.
There is a very slight stop in the
00
Thanks Khoff, I already heard of "just + any", now I undestand.
Yep, Jim, I actually thought that intonation could be useful, I see. Thanks.
Yep, Jim, I actually thought that intonation could be useful, I see. Thanks.
0
Related Questions