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Mr. Tom Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Stealing and robbing
Hi
In my native language, the words stealing and robbing have totally different meanings and they do not overlap. Robbery is forceful (the victim knows what s/he is losing] while stealing is a silent, stealthy action. For example:
He robbed her of her money. (maybe at gunpoint – she herself took the money out of her purse and gave him…)
He stole her money. (She didn’t even know that the money was gone until she opened her purse…)
However, in English, I often see the two actions (I mean the words) overlapping.
He stole her purse while she was fast asleep.
He robbed her of purse while she was fast asleep.
In my language, they would be something like this:
He stole her purse while she was fast asleep. [She was not aware of the action]
He robbed her of her purse as soon as she stepped out of the ATM cabin/room???. [She was aware of the action]
Am I able to get my point across? Or am I missing something?
Tom
PS: What do you say? walk in/out of the ATM room/cabin/cubicle? Or just ATM?
In my native language, the words stealing and robbing have totally different meanings and they do not overlap. Robbery is forceful (the victim knows what s/he is losing] while stealing is a silent, stealthy action. For example:
He robbed her of her money. (maybe at gunpoint – she herself took the money out of her purse and gave him…)
He stole her money. (She didn’t even know that the money was gone until she opened her purse…)
However, in English, I often see the two actions (I mean the words) overlapping.
He stole her purse while she was fast asleep.
He robbed her of purse while she was fast asleep.
In my language, they would be something like this:
He stole her purse while she was fast asleep. [She was not aware of the action]
He robbed her of her purse as soon as she stepped out of the ATM cabin/room???. [She was aware of the action]
Am I able to get my point across? Or am I missing something?
Tom
PS: What do you say? walk in/out of the ATM room/cabin/cubicle? Or just ATM?
Top answer
Mr. Tom Am I able to get my point across? Or am I missing something?
- Mr.
- Tom Am I able to get my point across?
- Or am I missing something?
- What is your question, Tom?
- Mr.
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7 Answers
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Mr. TomAm I able to get my point across? Or am I missing something?What is your question, Tom?
Mr. TomPS: What do you say? walk in/out of the ATM room/cabin/cubicle? Or just ATM?ATMs are in cubicles in your country? In others, they are just in the lobby or on the outside of the building.
00
Hi
I think you are on the right track
Stealing implies stealth, so it is something that is done silently, without the knowledge of the victim
Robbing, originally, was an act of warfare, so much more overt - the victim knows what is being done to them
We don't have many ATM cubicles in the UK, so I'd just say: I was short of cash so I went to the ATM
Dav
I think you are on the right track
Stealing implies stealth, so it is something that is done silently, without the knowledge of the victim
Robbing, originally, was an act of warfare, so much more overt - the victim knows what is being done to them
We don't have many ATM cubicles in the UK, so I'd just say: I was short of cash so I went to the ATM
Dav
00
Yes, MM -- don't you feel that the two words overlap in English when they should not?
He robbed her of her purse while she was fast asleep --- (should be "he stole her purse...")
Tom
He robbed her of her purse while she was fast asleep --- (should be "he stole her purse...")
Tom
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Mr. Tom when they should not?They 'should' if we have so used them, that is all. It does not bother me that these are also accepted without a second thought by many people:
He robbed her of her purse while she was fast asleep.
He stole her purse as soon as she stepped away from the ATM.
00
Robbery does mean with force or threat of force (BrE) but colloquially it is often not just used this way.
00
Thanks, MM.
One last question.
Do all of these sentences sound natural (and synonymous) to you?
He stole her purse at gunpoint.
He robbed her purse at gunpoint.
He robbed her of her purse at gunpoint.
Tom
One last question.
Do all of these sentences sound natural (and synonymous) to you?
He stole her purse at gunpoint.
He robbed her purse at gunpoint.
He robbed her of her purse at gunpoint.
Tom
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Mr. TomHe robbed her purse at gunpoint.That one is not possible: we rob people, not objects.
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