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Angliholic Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Don't saturate it.

Just wet your towel a little; don't saturate it.

I try to make a sentence using "saturate" in the above, but I'm not sure if it sounds good to you. If not, how would you say it? Thanks.
  

Top answer

The meaning is fine. Saturate is a little formal for that sentence. A native might say, ' just wet your towel a little-- don't get it all soppy '.

— Mister Micawber

  • The meaning is fine.
  • Saturate is a little formal for that sentence.
  • A native might say, ' just wet your towel a little-- don't get it all soppy '.
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10 Answers
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The meaning is fine. Saturate is a little formal for that sentence. A native might say, 'just wet your towel a little-- don't get it all soppy'.
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Mister MicawberThe meaning is fine. Saturate is a little formal for that sentence. A native might say, 'just wet your towel a little-- don't get it all soppy'.

Thanks, Mister.

By the way, is it very colloquial to say "... don't get it all soaking wet/through?"
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soaking wet
soaked through
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Mister Micawbersoaking wet
soaked through

Thanks, Mister.

But now I'm more confused than ever!

Why is it "... don't get it all soaking wet," but " ... don't get it all soaked through?" What are the reasons behind these two extremely different uses of "soak?"
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No mystery; the verb just happens to fit into two different structures. Soaking is a descriptive adjective, like raving mad or standing ovation. Get -ed is one of the coercive verbs: get it soaked, get it cut, get it fixed.
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Mister MicawberNo mystery; the verb just happens to fit into two different structures. Soaking is a descriptive adjective, like raving mad or standing ovation. Get -ed is one of the coercive verbs: get it soaked, get it cut, get it fixed.

Thanks, Mister.

Got it.

But I have two smal
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Coercive, causative-- I don't remember. I think coercives are a subset of causatives. Have/get, make, let.

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Mister MicawberCoercive, causative-- I don't remember. I think coercives are a subset of causatives. Have/get, make, let.


Thanks, Mister.

In the grammar books here, there are only four causative verbs: have, make, let, and forbid. "Get" is considered an ordinary verb though it sometimes acts like a causative.
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Not here.

Forbid? (X) I forbade him wash the dishes??

Get in this use = have:

I had/got my hair cut.
We are having/getting our car fixed.
I'll get him to / have him mow the lawn. (Oops! A little difference in structure there. Interesting.)
I'll forbid him to mow the lawn. (Curiouser and
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Mister MicawberNot here.

Forbid? (X) I forbade him wash the dishes??

Get in this use = have:

I had/got my hair cut.
We are having/getting our car fixed.
I'll get him to / have him mow the lawn. (Oops! A little difference in structure there. Interesting.)
I'll forbid him
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