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Perfect Stranger Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
I didn't get your last text message
Hi,
I've just come across an interesting language matter. We often use get to say that we
a) receive something --> I got your email yesterday at night.
b) understand something --> His lecture was full of legal mumbo jumbo and I didn't get it at all.
Now, I've sent a message to my Chinese friend and she replied to my on MSN in the following fashion:
I didn't get your last message.
I think this can be understood in two ways... one is: I didn't understand what you said in your message or I didn't get it (I haven't received it)
What do you think? How can we express ourselves clearly here if we don't want to use any extra words?
I've just come across an interesting language matter. We often use get to say that we
a) receive something --> I got your email yesterday at night.
b) understand something --> His lecture was full of legal mumbo jumbo and I didn't get it at all.
Now, I've sent a message to my Chinese friend and she replied to my on MSN in the following fashion:
I didn't get your last message.
I think this can be understood in two ways... one is: I didn't understand what you said in your message or I didn't get it (I haven't received it)
What do you think? How can we express ourselves clearly here if we don't want to use any extra words?
Top answer
I see no confusion; if she did not receive the most recent message, she would be unaware of its existence. She must mean that she did not understand it.
- I see no confusion; if she did not receive the most recent message, she would be unaware of its existence.
- She must mean that she did not understand it.
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3 Answers
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I see no confusion; if she did not receive the most recent message, she would be unaware of its existence. She must mean that she did not understand it.
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Hmm... How about this one.
Yesterday I sent a voice message in Chinese to one of my friends and
a) I'm not sure if she got the meaning (i.e. if my sentence was correct or not)
b) I'm not sure whether she received it or not.
If I ask her the question Did you get my message yesterday? what will it mean? In my opinion it can have both of the above-mention
Yesterday I sent a voice message in Chinese to one of my friends and
a) I'm not sure if she got the meaning (i.e. if my sentence was correct or not)
b) I'm not sure whether she received it or not.
If I ask her the question Did you get my message yesterday? what will it mean? In my opinion it can have both of the above-mention
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Yes, it could mean both—English is chock-full of ambiguities, but if I were to get that question, I would presume it meant receipt not comprehension.
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