0
HSS Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Millions, the Millions
Hello, and how are you?
I was listening to George Bush's Radio Address just a moment ago, and a query, if not at all related, came into my mind. He said "millions who've come to" the United States of America. Now what is the nuance between "They follow in the footsteps of millions who've come to the U.S." and "They follow in the footsteps of the millions who've come to the U.S."?
I daresay, and I suppose this may be wrong, but I daresay with "millions who've ..." you could reagard the following phrase with brackets, as in below, resulting in stressing "millions"--- not "millions who've come to our shores .... You are saying they are coming after a great number of people. The bracketed part only gives you added information to describe the preceding "millions."On the other hand, with the millions who've ..., you are not just stressing "millions" but putting forth "millions that've set foot the country seeking liberty and opportunity." They follow in the footsteps of the people who are large in number and who've come to the U.S. seeking liberty and opportunity.
What do you think?
I was listening to George Bush's Radio Address just a moment ago, and a query, if not at all related, came into my mind. He said "millions who've come to" the United States of America. Now what is the nuance between "They follow in the footsteps of millions who've come to the U.S." and "They follow in the footsteps of the millions who've come to the U.S."?
I daresay, and I suppose this may be wrong, but I daresay with "millions who've ..." you could reagard the following phrase with brackets, as in below, resulting in stressing "millions"--- not "millions who've come to our shores .... You are saying they are coming after a great number of people. The bracketed part only gives you added information to describe the preceding "millions."On the other hand, with the millions who've ..., you are not just stressing "millions" but putting forth "millions that've set foot the country seeking liberty and opportunity." They follow in the footsteps of the people who are large in number and who've come to the U.S. seeking liberty and opportunity.
What do you think?
These men and women follow in the footsteps of millions who've come to our shores seeking libety and opportunity.
= These men and women follow in the footsteps of millions (who've come to our shores seeking libety and opportunity).
These men and women follow in the footsteps of the millions who've come to our shores seeking liberty and opportunity.
Hiro/ Sendai, Japan
Top answer
Hello HSS To my ears: "To follow in the footsteps of the millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps of all immigrants. "To follow in the footsteps of millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps not of all immigrants, but of millions of those immigrants. So the version without "the" is a more cautious assertion.
- Hello HSS To my ears: "To follow in the footsteps of the millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps of all immigrants.
- "To follow in the footsteps of millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps not of all immigrants, but of millions of those immigrants.
- So the version without "the" is a more cautious assertion.
- MrP
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
1 Answers
0
Hello HSS
To my ears:
"To follow in the footsteps of the millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps of all immigrants.
"To follow in the footsteps of millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps not of all immigrants, but of millions of those immigrants.
So the version without "the" is a more cautious assertion.
MrP
To my ears:
"To follow in the footsteps of the millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps of all immigrants.
"To follow in the footsteps of millions who have come" means to follow in the footsteps not of all immigrants, but of millions of those immigrants.
So the version without "the" is a more cautious assertion.
MrP
0
Related Questions