One sentence, How would you say it please?

Question

How to say this please?The file got/was corrupted while we were transferring it.The file got/was corrupted while we transferred it.The file got/was corrupted as we were transferring it.The file got/was corrupted as we transferred it.Thank you

Philip · Accepted Answer

See your inbox.

Fahim Abbas Zaidi · Answer

How to say this please?

Note here that Corrupt Adj/V
(syn: while; just as, as, even as, just when, at the time that, at the moment that)

Wrong:

The file got corrupted (by subject) while we were transferring it.
(It says that you had someone/something to corrupt it)

Correct:

The file got corrupt while we were transferring it.
(To show that the file corrupted while you were transferring it.)
________________

The file was corrupted (by subject) while we were transferring it.
(It means that someone caused it)

The file was corrupt while we were transferring it.
(It means that the file being (in state) corrupt)

________________
Wrong:

The file got corrupted (by subject) as we transferred it.

Correct:

The file got corrupt/corrupted as we transferred it.
(Becoming corrupt was what that happened, having been transferred. Showing that file was transferred then you noticed or came to know that it is corrupt or has corrupted)

Regards

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Fahim Abbas ZaidiWrong:
The file got corrupted (by subject) while we were transferring it.
(It says that you had someone/something to corrupt it)
Correct:
The file got corrupt while we were transferring it.
(To show that the file corrupted while you were transferring it.)
__
The file was corrupted (by subject) while we were transferring it.
(It means that someone caused it)
The file was corrupt while we were transferring it.
(It means that the file being (in state) corrupt)
__
Wrong:
The file got corrupted (by subject) as we transferred it.
Correct:
The file got corrupt/corrupted as we transferred it.
(Becoming corrupt was what that happened, having been transferred. Showing that file was transferred then you noticed or came to know that it is corrupt or has corrupted)

I think you got the verb and adjective form of "corrupt" all confused.

Many developing countries have corrupt governments. Corrupt - is an adjective and it is correctly used here.

The file got corrupted during the transfer. This is a prefectly grammatical sentence, and there is nothing wrong.

A corrupt file - is semantically odd to me. But a corrupt policeman is fine.
Conversely, a corrupted file is fine because something has caused it to become corrupted. This kind of sentence is expressed adjectivally passive, which could be with or without an agent.

Alc24 · Answer

Hello dimsumexpress,

Now I'm a bit confused

Could you tell me which of these are correct?

The file got/was corrupted while we were transferring it.

The file got/was corrupted while we transferred it.

The file got/was corrupted as we were transferring it.

The file got/was corrupted as we transferred it.

Thank you

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Fot the same idea, I would simply say " the file got/was corrupted while being transferred". Or " the file got/was corrupted during the transfer" .

If I must picture one from your quesrions, this is the only one that appeals to me semantically speaking. The file got/was corrupted while we were transferring it. To me, the point was the file somehow was corrupted. When ? during the transfer, or while being transferred. It's not important who were doing the transfer. "As" and "while" do not imply the same point in time in which the corruption took place. In any case, I think it should take a continous progress. As far as detailed explanations, I'll leave it for the the gurus.

Alc24 · Answer

Thank you for the explanation, I just was wondering if AS was ok tho? isn't as a synonym of while? can you say ... AS IT WAS BEING TRANSFERRED OR AS WE WERE TRANSFERRING IT.

Thank you

Fahim Abbas Zaidi · Answer

May peace be upon you.

Thanks for my correction. According to my Collins dictionary corrupt is adj + verb but according to computer terms dictionary corrupted is used commonly as adj.

so here we go.

corrupt and corrupted both are adjectives.

Get means become, turn, go, etc

the file got corrupt or corrupted while we were transferring it.
(its right one to express. "the file was not corrupted or corrupt but it went/got corrupt/corrupted while we were transferring it.")

was + adj (Past State)
the file was corrupted while we were transferring it.
(if you consider occurrence of corrupted as adj. it means that "the file was in state of corruption while you transferred it or were transferring.")

examples;
As it was written in a book.
The colour of that flower was red.
The computer files had been corrupted during the upgrade.

The synonyms that I had mentioned above all were right to be used for same expression.

Regards

Fahim Abbas Zaidi · Answer

Definition of corrupt on the Web
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&hs=jOQ&rls=en&q=define%3Acorrupt&btnG=Search&meta=

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=corrupt&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h=000000

Definition of corrupted on the Web
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&hs=P4k&rls=en&q=define%3Acorrupted&btnG=Search&meta=

Uses of "got corrupt"
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&q=%22got+corrupt%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Uses of "got corrupted"

http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&hs=FVQ&rls=en&q=%22got+corrupted%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Uses of "Was corrupt"
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&q=%22was+corrupt%22&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=g-c1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Uses of "was corrupted"

http://www.google.com.pk/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=%22was+corrupted%22&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

____________________________________
Uses of "while we were transferring it"
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&q=%22while+we+were+transferring+it%22&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Uses of "as we were transferring it"
http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&client=opera&rls=en&q=%22as+we+were+transferring+it%22&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Note: You can search any exact phrase by using inverted commas between the phrase/context as here> "context here" in google.com for sentences usage search. thanks

Its up to you to learn more in order to be expert of language. I'm not perfect yet and never going to be.

Regards

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Fahim Abbas Zaidi,

Fahim Abbas Zaidithe file got corrupt or corrupted while we were transferring it.
(its right one to express. "the file was not corrupted or corrupt but it went/got corrupt/corrupted while we were transferring it.")

I have a feeling that some may disagree with my approach.

This is the nuts and bolds of how I handle this kind of contexts:
This is a corrupted file - a past participle used passively as adjective.

The file got corrupted during the transfer. - Many consider past participle a adjective. But I look at it as a past participle being used as adjective with passive connotation.

Let's me give you this scenario: John was arrested for being intoxicated. According to your explanation, Intoxicated -is an adjective, and many dictionaries also explain it as such. How about "arrested?", is it passive or adjective?
If one looks at this with as passive approach, it may help him see it better becasue something has caused the intoxication, and John received the effect. So some people do think of past participle as passive adjectives. I know this is not how most people are taught.

Some of your examples are correct but I disagree with this.".......the file got corrupt while we were transferring it" The use of "corrupt" is incorrect in this context. When we use " get /got " in conjunction with another past participle, the connotation of the sentence become passive, although your dictionary explains it as adjective, ( past participle adjective, to be exact) i.e. 'Don't get so excited ...".

Many learners are confused with the identity and use of past participles, i.e. pleased, tired, saddened etc.
As long as words like "corrupted", and "exhausted" are considered as 'adjective', the confusion is always a possibility, such as your example above which should be " the file got corrupted....", not "got corrupt". I personally, take a passive approach toward the past participle context. For example: " She got scared being alone in the house...". Effect: Something scared her- what ? Cause: Being alone in a big house. So there is an "unspoken agent" acting upon the subject.

Fahim Abbas ZaidiAs it was written in a book. - This is a straightforward passive sentence. A "written document", is an past participle adjective.

The colour of that flower was red. - "red" is not a past participle
The computer files had been corrupted during the upgrade. This is clearly a past perfect passive voice to me. -
Here may be something helpful:

http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/passive3a.html

Nabateus · Answer

O, please
send it to here too!

One sentence, How would you say it please?

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