Call verb's meaning
I would like to learn how the verb's meaning of call affects a object and a complement.
A: She called him a fool/ a coward.
If you can paraphrase the sentence of A, can you say these expressions of B , C, and D?
B: She caused him to be a fool/ a coward by calling.
C: What she did to him was to call him a fool/ a coward.
D: What she did with him was to call him a fool/ a coward.
Please tell me know whether or not you can say these phrases.
If you can find the above sentences mistaken, please correct it.
Top answer
B is an odd sentence and does not mean the same as A. C and D mean essentially the same as A, but these would normally be restricted to certain special situations where the more elaborate wording was called for. For example: Q: What did she do to/with him?
- B is an odd sentence and does not mean the same as A.
- C and D mean essentially the same as A, but these would normally be restricted to certain special situations where the more elaborate wording was called for.
- For example: Q: What did she do to/with him?
- A: What she did to/with him was to call him a fool / a coward.
- "with" has a slightly difference nuance than "to".
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B is an odd sentence and does not mean the same as A.
C and D mean essentially the same as A, but these would normally be restricted to certain special situations where the more elaborate wording was called for. For example:
Q: What did she do to/with him?
A: What she did to/with him was to call him a fool / a coward.
"with" has a slightly difference nuance
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