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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Question about adverbs
Hello!
I would like to ask you one question.
My friend, who is a native speaker of English, said that the following sentences show a meaning difference.
(1). John accidentally kicked the door open.
(2). John kicked the door accidentally open.
My friend said that sentence (1) means that the door opened because John accidentally kicked it. He also told me that sentence (2) is a bit awkward, but it means that the door accidentally opened because John kicked it. Thus, he states that the different positions of 'accidentally' between (1) and (2) cause such a meaning difference. I am not sure that such a slight meaning difference between (1) and (2) is commonly observed by native speakers of English. Do you agree with my friend's statement about the meaning difference between (1) and (2)?
That is all. I really appreciate your help. Thank you very much!
I would like to ask you one question.
My friend, who is a native speaker of English, said that the following sentences show a meaning difference.
(1). John accidentally kicked the door open.
(2). John kicked the door accidentally open.
My friend said that sentence (1) means that the door opened because John accidentally kicked it. He also told me that sentence (2) is a bit awkward, but it means that the door accidentally opened because John kicked it. Thus, he states that the different positions of 'accidentally' between (1) and (2) cause such a meaning difference. I am not sure that such a slight meaning difference between (1) and (2) is commonly observed by native speakers of English. Do you agree with my friend's statement about the meaning difference between (1) and (2)?
That is all. I really appreciate your help. Thank you very much!
Top answer
I doptn agree with your friend, I cant see that there is a real semantic difference!
- I doptn agree with your friend, I cant see that there is a real semantic difference!
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4 Answers
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I doptn agree with your friend, I cant see that there is a real semantic difference!
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I can't see a difference in meaning between the two sentences either, and the second one does sound a bit weird, as in syntax that you wouldn't normally hear.
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No difference. Though adverb placement frequently does change meaning (as opposed to changes meaning frequently).
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Question from student
Is there a pattern that was followed in sentence 1?
Is there a pattern that was followed in sentence 1?
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