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Anonymous Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Sentence having 2 meanings?
I attended my friend's party, all my friends think that I was at the party to see my ex-girlfriend but my aim was not to see her really. Can I say "I didn't attend the party to see her"?
When I hear or read this sentence, I understand 2 meanings:
1) I attended the party but my aim was not to see her (just like in the scenario mentioned above)
2) I didn't attend the party and my aim was to see her (wherever she was because she wasn't at the party).
Does this sentence have 2 meanings as mentioned above? If so, how can I distinguish the meaning? By context?
When I hear or read this sentence, I understand 2 meanings:
1) I attended the party but my aim was not to see her (just like in the scenario mentioned above)
2) I didn't attend the party and my aim was to see her (wherever she was because she wasn't at the party).
Does this sentence have 2 meanings as mentioned above? If so, how can I distinguish the meaning? By context?
Top answer
Anonymous I attended my friend's party, all my friends think that I was at the party to see my ex-girlfriend but my aim was not to see her really. Can I say "I didn't attend the party to see her"? Yes, you can.
- Anonymous I attended my friend's party, all my friends think that I was at the party to see my ex-girlfriend but my aim was not to see her really.
- Can I say "I didn't attend the party to see her"?
- Yes, you can.
- Anonymous 1) I attended the party but my aim was not to see her (just like in the scenario mentioned above) Right.
- Anonymous 2) I didn't attend the party and my aim was to see her (wherever she was because she wasn't at the party).
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10 Answers
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AnonymousI attended my friend's party, all my friends think that I was at the party to see my ex-girlfriend but my aim was not to see her really. Can I say "I didn't attend the party to see her"?Yes, you can.
Anonymous1) I attended the party but my aim was not to see her (just like in the scenario mentioned above)Right.
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Just suppose that at the time of the party, I was seeing my ex-girlfriend and we were having lunch in a restaurant, then, my friends asked me why I didn't attend the party, I think that I can say "I didn't attend the part to see my ex-girlfriend, can't I?
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No. That's not correct.
You'd rather say that "I didn't attend the party as i was seeing my ex-girlfriend.
You'd rather say that "I didn't attend the party as i was seeing my ex-girlfriend.
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Your overall impression is right.
I didn't do X because of Y.
1) I didn't do X, even though I had planned to, and the reason I did not was Y.
2) I did do X, but the reason I did X had nothing to do with Y.
I didn't go to the party so I could see my ex.
1) I didn't go, because I wanted to see my ex, who was somewhere else.
2) I did go, but the reason had
I didn't do X because of Y.
1) I didn't do X, even though I had planned to, and the reason I did not was Y.
2) I did do X, but the reason I did X had nothing to do with Y.
I didn't go to the party so I could see my ex.
1) I didn't go, because I wanted to see my ex, who was somewhere else.
2) I did go, but the reason had
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Thank you for your replies and explanations. I agree with BarbaraPA and I think that both meanings are possible in this sentence. The meanings can be distinguished by context as well.
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BarbaraPAI didn't do X because of Y.I didn't marry her because she was poor.
Did I marry her or not?
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I don't know. Isn't that the point?
I'm not some knight in shining armor. I don't go around looking for damsels in distress to rescue. I certainly didn't marry her because she was poor, because she needed rescuing. I married her because I love her.
I loved her. But as the third son, I needed to marry well. My family name still counts for something, and I used that. So while I lo
I'm not some knight in shining armor. I don't go around looking for damsels in distress to rescue. I certainly didn't marry her because she was poor, because she needed rescuing. I married her because I love her.
I loved her. But as the third son, I needed to marry well. My family name still counts for something, and I used that. So while I lo
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BarbaraPAI don't know. Isn't that the point?Indeed it is the point, but it never hurts to illustrate the point more than once.
As some famous philosopher once wrote, "The truth can stand on one leg, but with two it can more easily get about".
CJ
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I see - you were illustrating.
(Someone else also said "A lie can get around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on." Maybe if the truth had only one leg, it could get dressed faster?)
(Someone else also said "A lie can get around the world before the truth has a chance to put its pants on." Maybe if the truth had only one leg, it could get dressed faster?)
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Yes, in this sentence, I think that both meanings are possible. The meanings can be distinguished by context. BarbaraPA's examples indicate that both meanings are possible and the meanings can just be distinguished by context as well.
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