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Wholegrain Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
double meaning
Double meaning
Can a given word have two different meaning in the same sentence?
Whaling is endangering whales and is a endangered specie. Ok, I guess we can't in this case. Well, I would use it, but probably people will tell me it's not for being too awkward and confusing.
The White House is competent, and a beautiful landmark.
The White House as the personnel first and as a landmark then...
Can you give other examples if only the second one is correct to illustrate why?
Can a given word have two different meaning in the same sentence?
Whaling is endangering whales and is a endangered specie. Ok, I guess we can't in this case. Well, I would use it, but probably people will tell me it's not for being too awkward and confusing.
The White House is competent, and a beautiful landmark.
The White House as the personnel first and as a landmark then...
Can you give other examples if only the second one is correct to illustrate why?
Top answer
I'm not sure I completely understand what you mean. Generally, if a word has two different meanings, you don't use it as the subject of a sentence and use one meaning for part of the sentence and the other for the second part, unless you do it as a joke. "
- I'm not sure I completely understand what you mean.
- Generally, if a word has two different meanings, you don't use it as the subject of a sentence and use one meaning for part of the sentence and the other for the second part, unless you do it as a joke.
- "
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12 Answers
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I'm not sure I completely understand what you mean.
Generally, if a word has two different meanings, you don't use it as the subject of a sentence and use one meaning for part of the sentence and the other for the second part, unless you do it as a joke. One well-known examle is "You water the lawn, and I, the drinks."
Generally, if a word has two different meanings, you don't use it as the subject of a sentence and use one meaning for part of the sentence and the other for the second part, unless you do it as a joke. One well-known examle is "You water the lawn, and I, the drinks."
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wholegrainCan a given word have two different meaning in the same sentence?Much humor depends on it, yes. But there the whole sentence usually has two meanings at the same time.
Your example is a case where the word has two meanings, one after the other. That's different. It just makes your reader confused and frustrated; whereas your job is to make
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CalifJimAnd my perennial favorite, showing that literal and figurative meanings cannot be mixed:What's wrong with the example? I understand it perfectly.
She left in a Cadillac and a bad mood. (in to show literal position vs. in to show figurative position)
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What about these?
Bush has bombed Iraq, but is a good president.
The scepter ordered them to kill, and is shining in its majesty.
Tide is wonderful, but when it is red it kills.
Red water can kill; however, it is full of living things.
Dark night is a stalker, but can be full of romance.
Bush has bombed Iraq, but is a good president.
The scepter ordered them to kill, and is shining in its majesty.
Tide is wonderful, but when it is red it kills.
Red water can kill; however, it is full of living things.
Dark night is a stalker, but can be full of romance.
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She left in a Cadillac and a bad mood.
New2grammarWhat's wrong with the example? I understand it perfectly.Well, it's very funny to a native speaker! As explained, it mixes two uses of "in".
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wholegrainWhat about these?What about them? They are all bizarre. I don't see a double meaning in the first, fourth, or the last.
CJ
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I am not even sure if they are correct, that's why I am asking, but I meant in the first one the US army and then the president; in the second one I meant sharks and then water and in the last one I meant a person in the night and then night.
Can you tell me if those usages are correct?
Can you tell me if those usages are correct?
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No, I'm afraid not.
I would never understand "red water" to mean a shark. I thought you were referring to red tide.
I would never understand "dark night" to mean a person.
With the first, although it was not Bush himself who did any of the bombing, because he ordered it to happen, it's not really a double meaning. If you say "the mayor closed the park" he probably didn't run around hi
I would never understand "red water" to mean a shark. I thought you were referring to red tide.
I would never understand "dark night" to mean a person.
With the first, although it was not Bush himself who did any of the bombing, because he ordered it to happen, it's not really a double meaning. If you say "the mayor closed the park" he probably didn't run around hi
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words that may sound the same but spelled different e.g stir & stare.
words that have the same spelling but can mean different things,given the context written in.
words that have the same spelling but can mean different things,given the context written in.
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oh no.
i am not concent about sentence usage, i was just looking for a list of words
i am not concent about sentence usage, i was just looking for a list of words
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