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Optimus Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
The Usage of Dash
Hello.
I'm trying to use a dash in a setence to emphasize "even if you hate her guts."
A. I want you to spend some time with her--even if you hate her guts.
B. I want youeven if you hate her gutsto spend some time with her.
C. I want you toeven if you hate her gutsspend some time with her.
I know A sounds natural, but would you say the structures of B and C are flawed?
If you could accept B or C, which one would you prefer? Would there be a subtle difference in meaning?
Thank you
I'm trying to use a dash in a setence to emphasize "even if you hate her guts."
A. I want you to spend some time with her--even if you hate her guts.
B. I want you
C. I want you to
I know A sounds natural, but would you say the structures of B and C are flawed?
If you could accept B or C, which one would you prefer? Would there be a subtle difference in meaning?
Thank you
Top answer
Hello Optimus B and C put the emphasis on 'spending some time with her'. The split infinitive in C gives an impression of 'sudden self-interruption', as of a sudden realization. A puts the emphasis on 'hating her guts'.
- Hello Optimus B and C put the emphasis on 'spending some time with her'.
- The split infinitive in C gives an impression of 'sudden self-interruption', as of a sudden realization.
- A puts the emphasis on 'hating her guts'.
- Let's say I'm talking to my son about his mother, who has run off with the chap who came to install some double glazing.
- Sentence A suggests that 'hating her guts' is understandable, but nonetheless, he'd better spend some time with her.
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6 Answers
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Hello Optimus
B and C put the emphasis on 'spending some time with her'. The split infinitive in C gives an impression of 'sudden self-interruption', as of a sudden realization. A puts the emphasis on 'hating her guts'.
Let's say I'm talking to my son about his mother, who has run off with the chap who came to install some double glazing.
Sentence A suggests that 'hati
B and C put the emphasis on 'spending some time with her'. The split infinitive in C gives an impression of 'sudden self-interruption', as of a sudden realization. A puts the emphasis on 'hating her guts'.
Let's say I'm talking to my son about his mother, who has run off with the chap who came to install some double glazing.
Sentence A suggests that 'hati
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Would you consider?:
Even if you hate her guts, I want you to spend some time with her.
Even if you hate her guts, I want you to spend some time with her.
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Yes; to my mind, that seems to downgrade the guts-hating even further.
But it's only the way I hear it! The more ears the merrier, in cases like this.
MrP
But it's only the way I hear it! The more ears the merrier, in cases like this.
MrP
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I agree with Mr. P. The dash (causing a minor interruption in the sentence) and the placing of the guts-hating bit at the end of the sentence really draw my attention to it.
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