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Anatbs Posted 18 years ago
Linguistics Studies

dative verbs

Hi everyone,

I am studying certain dative verbs in English and I wanted to ask you if there's a difference between two examples I found:
1. Hand a knife to Jim
2. Hand Jim a knife

appose to

1. Hand a ball to Jim
2. Hand Jim a ball

Is it only me or does "knife" sounds better than "ball"?
Can you think of other nouns that go with "hand"?

I'd appreciate your help.
Thanks.
  

Top answer

They all sound the same to me, knife or ball and either form. Hand (Jim) a ballot/spade/shoehorn/shotgun/pencil/pillow (to Jim) -- anything manageable works.

— Mister Micawber

  • They all sound the same to me, knife or ball and either form.
  • Hand (Jim) a ballot/spade/shoehorn/shotgun/pencil/pillow (to Jim) -- anything manageable works.
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4 Answers
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They all sound the same to me, knife or ball and either form. Hand (Jim) a ballot/spade/shoehorn/shotgun/pencil/pillow (to Jim)-- anything manageable works.
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Any noun that is touchable can go in to the position.
Ex: Hand a book to Jim. Ex:Hand Jim a book
Ex: Hand a pencil to Jim
Ex: Hand Jim a pencil
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Toys seem to collocate oddly with "to hand", where the intent is not jocular. Hand me a cigarette, hand me a screwdriver, hand me a spatula, yes; but hand me a plastic duck, hand me a Barbie, hand me a tiddleywink sound a little burlesque.

Perhaps the object "handed" tends to have a more practical function.

MrP
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There's no difference between "Hand a ball to Jim" and "Hand Jim a ball" and there's no difference if you hand him a knife or a ball--grammatically speaking!! However, might cost you a friendship, so I'd hand him a ball
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