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Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
change trains
My book says another expression for 'to transfer to another train' is 'to change trains', and 'to change the train' is wrong. Is it really wrong no matter what the context is?
Top answer
The stock phrase for transferring is to change trains , Taka: I have to change trains in Shibuya . Of course in other contexts, we can manage to use your alternative: All the wheels fell off, so they had to change the train while the passengers waited on the platform.
- The stock phrase for transferring is to change trains , Taka: I have to change trains in Shibuya .
- Of course in other contexts, we can manage to use your alternative: All the wheels fell off, so they had to change the train while the passengers waited on the platform.
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18 Answers
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The stock phrase for transferring is to change trains, Taka: I have to change trains in Shibuya.
Of course in other contexts, we can manage to use your alternative: All the wheels fell off, so they had to change the train while the passengers waited on the platform.
Of course in other contexts, we can manage to use your alternative: All the wheels fell off, so they had to change the train while the passengers waited on the platform.
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Not that 'change', MM.
What I'm asking is, isn't it possible to use 'change the train' when you are conscious of the specific train you are in and have to get off at the next station or somewhere?
What I'm asking is, isn't it possible to use 'change the train' when you are conscious of the specific train you are in and have to get off at the next station or somewhere?
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Dear Taka,
It is perhaps similar to «change horses». It is plural perhaps because there must be two trains.
Warm
It is perhaps similar to «change horses». It is plural perhaps because there must be two trains.
Warm
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Then, if you are conscious of the specific train you are about to get off and the other one you are about to get in, is it possible to say 'to change the trains'?
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It sounds odd to me, Taka.
I have to change my train at the next station sounds reasonable; but I think most would still use change trains (/horses/buses/etc) in this sentence as well, for the reason that Goldmund gives. We cannot change the shirt or change the wife either.
I have to change my train at the next station sounds reasonable; but I think most would still use change trains (/horses/buses/etc) in this sentence as well, for the reason that Goldmund gives. We cannot change the shirt or change the wife either.
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Though that use of change seems to work with some objects, Taka, ('change the color', 'change the outfit', 'change the subject'--all of which mean switching to another version of the same type --color to color, outfit to outfit, subject to subject) it doesn't work so well with train, or bus, car, and horse.
Perhaps, because (unlike the examples here) there are other p
Perhaps, because (unlike the examples here) there are other p
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DavkettThough that use of change seems to work with some objects, Taka, ('change the color', 'change the outfit', 'change the subject'--all of which mean switching to another version of the same type --color to color, outfit to outfit, subject to subject) it doesn't work so well with train, or bus, car, and horse.
Yes, that's
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Do you give any credence, Taka, to the argument that 'change the train' opens the door to wrong inferences, where 'change trains' does not?
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Could the expression be related to "switch trains", where you can't say "switch the trains"?
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