Sentence meaning

Question

What is the difference between the meanings of these sentences?1. We understood them to say they were getting divorced.2. We understood them saying they did not want to discuss their decision.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

AnonymousWhat is the difference between the meanings of these sentences?
1. We understood them to say they were getting divorced.
2. We understood them saying they did not want to discuss their decision.

There's no difference in the intended meanings.

We often use the possessive adjective with the gerund:

We couldn't understand their deciding to get a divorce.

Your second sentence is an example of awkward (possibly incorrect) style, in my opinion.

"We heard them saying they did not want to discuss their decision" is a natural sentence.

Some verbs work with both the infinitive and the gerund. Some take only one or the other.

Some take the bare infinitive: We heard them say they'd be late.

Non sequitur · Answer

1. We understood them to say they were getting divorced.

Literally: We understand that they are getting divorced.

or

Our interpretation of what they were saying was, they were getting divorced.

Better wording: They said they are getting divorced.

or

We think, if we understood them correctly, that they are getting divorced.

2. We understood them saying they did not want to discuss their decision.

Literally: We understood that they do not want to talk about their decisions, regarding their divorce.

Better wording: We understand them when they say, they don't want to talk about their divorce.

Although, I'm not sure if by "understood" you meant "comprehend" or "agree".

That might change it a bit

Avangi · Answer

Non sequitur1. We understood them to say they were getting divorced.
Literally: We understand that they are getting divorced.

I think that the litteral meaning of "We understand that they are getting divorced" is more like, "We conclude/believe from whatever sources are available to us that they are getting divorced."

"To have understood someone to say something" is quite different.

Eg, "I understood him to say that he's the Queen of England" is quite different from "I understand that he's the Queen of England."

Best wishes,

- A.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousWhat is the difference between the meanings of these sentences?
1. We understood them to say they were getting divorced.
2. We understood them saying they did not want to discuss their decision.

What?

If I say that I'm getting divorced, that means one thing.

If I say that I don't want to discuss a decision that I made, that means a completely different thing.

Surely you understand that divorce and the discussion of decisions are two different things!

_______

By the way, the second one is only borderline grammatical. It would more likely be said as We heard them saying that ..., which is how it would probably be understood.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJimSurely you understand that divorce and the discussion of decisions are two different things!

Surely.

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