• the exact meaning of ‘until’

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• the exact meaning of ‘until’Hi!Let me ask you several questions.Which is the correct interpretation?Q1. She would have to wait until Wednesday.A. She doesn’t have to wait on Wednesday.B. She doesn’t have to wait on Thursday.Q2. He continued to practice as a vet until 1960.A. He didn’t practice as a vet in 1960.B. He didn’t practice as a vet in 1961.Q3. I have to study until tomorrow.A. I don’t have to study tomorrow.B. I don’t have to study the day after tomorrow.Q4. I will work here until next year.A. I will not work here next year.B. I will not work here the year after next.Q5. I will stay here until next month.A. I will not stay here next month.B. I will not stay here the month after next.Q6. Our office will be closed until the 5th of May.A. Our office will reopen on the 5th of May.B. Our office will reopen on the 6th of May.Thanks in advance.

Niue · Accepted Answer

Please, don't misunderstand my intention.
I'm not doing my homework. (Actually, I'm a Korean teaching English in South Korea.)
Now I'm studying some semantic differences between English and Korean and the above questions are parts of them.

Teechr · Answer

Ordinarily, I would take to to mean up to the start of those points in time. So I would go for the A interpretations.

Anonymous · Answer

The following is based on US usage.

Q1. The given sentence is a positive statement, and means that on Wed. she will be free to do something. A and B are negative statements - she will not be able to do something on Wed. or Thurs. - so both are awkward interpretations that would not be used in English.

Q2. Again, the given sentence is a positive-type of statement: he stopped practicing as of 1960, and A and B are negative-type statements - he didn't do something in 1960 and 1961- so both are awkward interpretations, not used in English.

Q3. Again, a positive given sentence and awkward, negative interpretations.

Q4. Same type of positive statement and awkward negative interpretations.

Q5. Same type of positive statement and awkward negative interpretations.

Q6. Here you have the reverse situation, an awkward negative type of given statement and acceptable positive-type interpretations that don't match it. The given sentence would not be used in English because of its ambiguity. A and B are okay - A would be used if the office opens on May 5, B would be used if the office opens on May 6 - but don't match the ambiguous given statement.

Niue · Answer

OK. Then, let me rewrite my questions and add one more question (Q7):

Which is MORE COMMON?

Q1. She would have to wait until Wednesday,
A. so she can let me know the results on Wednesday.
B. so she can let me know the results on Thursday.

Q2. He continued to practice as a vet until 1960,
A. and he changed his job in 1960.
B. and he changed his job in 1961.

Q3. I have to study until tomorrow,
A. so I can go to the movies with you tomorrow.
B. so I can go to the movies with you the day after tomorrow.

Q4. I will work here until next year,
A. so I can change my workplace next year.
B. so I can change my workplace the year after next.

Q5. I will stay here until next month,
A. so I can visit your country next month.
B. so I can visit your country the month after next.

Q6. Our office will be closed until the 5th of May,
A. and our office will reopen on the 5th of May.
B. and our office will reopen on the 6th of May.

Q7. Tom will be away until Monday,
A. so he’ll be back on Monday.
B. so he’ll be back on Tuesday.

Thanks in advance.

Anonymous · Answer

The following is based on US usage.

Q1. This is still not right. The given sentence is a positive statement: she will wait till Wed. and then she shall be free to do something. The new A and B are not "do something" type of statements. A "do something" type of statement would be, for example:

She would have to wait until Wed. to see the results of her tests.

She would have to wait until Wed. to get married.

Q2. This is still not right. The given sentence says he continued to be a vet until 1960. What follows should be an explanation of what happened to his veterinary practice. A change of jobs is not implied in the given sentence. And bringing in the year 1961 is irrelevant.

Q3. This is still not right. What follows the given sentence should be the reason for the studying. A mundane activity like going to the movies is not implied by the given sentence. And nothing about the day after tomorrow is indicated.

Q4. This is not right. What should follow is an explanation of the situation: Why is he working there? Why until next year?
A change of workplace would be understood, and coming out and saying it is like hitting the listener over the head with an obvious fact. Nothing about the yr. after next is indicated here.

Q5. Again, not right. And explanation should follow about why he's staying there, and why until next month. Nothing about the listener's country, or the month after next is implied here.

Q6. The given sentence is ambiguous and should not be used. It should be: Our office will reopen on May 5th. Nothing about May 6th is indicated here.

Q7. The given sentence is okay. A is okay. B is not right.

• the exact meaning of ‘until’

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