Syntax of ‘Zero Down Delivers’

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Syntax of ‘Zero Down Delivers’I have found two sentences that have ‘Zero Down Delivers’.(00:04) Zero down delivers a new 2018 Kia Sportage or Sorento leased today starting at $219 a month with zero down.(00:05) Let the dealmaker save you more with zero down delivers.What I am curious about is that the usage of this phrase seems different in each passage.In the former ‘Zero down’ seems to be subject of the sentence and ‘delivers’ be a verb of it.In the latter ‘zero down delivers’ seems to be the object of the preposition ‘with’.(Am I right?)Now the really serious question is in order.‘zero down’ seems to mean there is no down payment in the sale of a car and ‘deliver’ means ‘to send the car to home’. (Am I right?)In this light, the 1st sentence makes sense but not makes sense either.In the syntactic view it makes sense as verb(delivers) follows subject(Zero down), but in the meaning it seems to be poor in the way how ‘zero down’ can ‘deliver’ a car. Is it okay with native’s sense of meaning? Is it just that I am a learner of English as a second language that the sentence seems to make a poor meaning? If it is, could you explain to me the logic of this sentence?Last about the second sentence. If ‘with zero down delivers’ is a prepositional phrase, isn’t it better with ‘delivery’ not with ‘delivers’ since the object of the preposition should be noun phrase? (Am I right?)Thanks in advance.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Stenka25I have found two sentences that have ‘Zero Down Delivers’.

Be aware that these are car salesmen. They are iconic for high-pressure, unscrupulous sales tactics, and they are no models for proper English because they will say anything, anything, if they think it will help them sell. They have embraced their reputation in the TV commercials and turned it into a comic act, to pretty good effect, it must be admitted.

Stenka25What I am curious about is that the usage of this phrase seems different in each passage.

I would not call it a phrase. They are playing with words they think will add urgency to their message.

Stenka25In the former ‘Zero down’ seems to be subject of the sentence and ‘delivers’ be a verb of it.

Right.

Stenka25In the latter ‘zero down delivers’ seems to be the object of the preposition ‘with’.

Probably. They seem to have entered a grammatical twilight zone here. "Zero down delivers" is their catchphrase, and they throw it in whenever they think they can without regard for the grammar of it.

Stenka25‘zero down’ seems to mean there is no down payment in the sale of a car

Right.

Stenka25and ‘deliver’ means ‘to send the car to home’.

I wouldn't say that. "Deliver" is just an active verb that marketing studies have shown to have favorable effects on consumers. They will say it whenever they can whether it makes sense or not, but I interpret it as intransitive in this case, meaning "gives you what you want". It does not literally mean that the car will be brought to your house, although if you hear it that way, so much the better to their minds because you will have been tricked into thinking you will be getting something extra and will therefore have that much more inducement to come into the dealership. They will talk you out of your disappointment later, never fear. They'll probably have that gorgeous mestizo girl do it.

Stenka25In the syntactic view it makes sense as verb(delivers) follows subject(Zero down), but in the meaning it seems to be poor in the way how ‘zero down’ can ‘deliver’ a car. Is it okay with native’s sense of meaning? Is it just that I am a learner of English as a second language that the sentence seems to make a poor meaning? If it is, could you explain to me the logic of this sentence?

Again, don't expect real English from these people.

First, you have to forget about "deliver" meant literally; the car will not be brought to you. The sense of their sentence is not sound, but it has had the desired effect. Here we are talking about it, and that is mission accomplished in their eyes. "Zero down" does not deliver a car. I would paraphrase as "If you pay no money down (zero down), you will nevertheless be rewarded with a good deal (delivers)." That is a lie and does not make much sense. That you have noticed a problem here means that your ear for English is good.

Stenka25Last about the second sentence. If ‘with zero down delivers’ is a prepositional phrase, isn’t it better with ‘delivery’ not with ‘delivers’ since the object of the preposition should be noun phrase? (Am I right?)

The grammar is practically non-existent in this one, and you are still thinking that they are saying that the car will be brought to you. They are using their catchphrase "zero down delivers" as a noun, though it isn't and my ear rebels, but that is a good thing because one of the fundamental components of TV advertising is irritation. I would paraphrase as "Let the dealmaker save you more by means of (with) our sales program that we are calling 'zero down delivers'."

Do yourself a favor and try to forget all this as quickly as possible, and stay away from televion car ads in the future.

Syntax of ‘Zero Down Delivers’

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