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Paco2004 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Fake object constructions
Hello Teachers
1. He ran his shoes thin.
Does the sentence above mean "He ran a long distance and so his shoes became thin" or "He ran to the extent as if his shoes had become thin"? I'm asking the true meaning of the phrase "his shoes thin". Is this a fact statement or a metaphoric exaggeration? How about the cases below?
2. She cried her eyes red.
3. He drove his tire flat.
4. She ate herself sick.
paco
1. He ran his shoes thin.
Does the sentence above mean "He ran a long distance and so his shoes became thin" or "He ran to the extent as if his shoes had become thin"? I'm asking the true meaning of the phrase "his shoes thin". Is this a fact statement or a metaphoric exaggeration? How about the cases below?
2. She cried her eyes red.
3. He drove his tire flat.
4. She ate herself sick.
paco
Top answer
Take "his shoes thin" to mean "until his shoes became thin", "her eyes red" to mean "until her eyes became red", "his tire flat" to mean "until his tire became flat", and "herself sick" to mean "until she became sick". With that paraphrase you will very very seldom, if ever, go wrong. CJ (The third one has an alternate reading, not the resultative one that I think you are interested in here, however.
- Take "his shoes thin" to mean "until his shoes became thin", "her eyes red" to mean "until her eyes became red", "his tire flat" to mean "until his tire became flat", and "herself sick" to mean "until she became sick".
- With that paraphrase you will very very seldom, if ever, go wrong.
- CJ (The third one has an alternate reading, not the resultative one that I think you are interested in here, however.
- "his tire flat" can be taken to mean "while his tire was flat" in that case.
- )
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3 Answers
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Take "his shoes thin" to mean "until his shoes became thin", "her eyes red" to mean "until her eyes became red", "his tire flat" to mean "until his tire became flat", and "herself sick" to mean "until she became sick". With that paraphrase you will very very seldom, if ever, go wrong.
CJ
(The third one has an alternate reading, not the resultative one that I think you a
CJ
(The third one has an alternate reading, not the resultative one that I think you a
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Hi CalifJim,
"The third one has an alternate meaning, not the resultative one..". Would you please explain the meaning of "resultative one" in this sentence? My dictionary (Dictionary.com) doesn't help me on this?
"The third one has an alternate meaning, not the resultative one..". Would you please explain the meaning of "resultative one" in this sentence? My dictionary (Dictionary.com) doesn't help me on this?
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Hello CJ
CalifJimTake "his shoes thin" to mean "until his shoes became thin", "her eyes red" to mean "until her eyes became red", "his tire flat" to mean "until his tire became flat", and "herself sick" to mean "until she became sick". With that paraphrase you will very very seldom, if ever, go wrong.Thank you for the answer. Now I understand we can read most
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