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BigBird Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
To Tell or Not to Tell
Hi, would the native speakers please comment on the usage of "tell" in the following sample sentences? I'm interested in both grammaticality and semantic interpretations.
1. If you don't know it, just tell "I don't know" or "I am not sure."
2. If I'm wrong, just tell I'm wrong.
3. I'll just tell what I encountered..
4. Well, just to tell that I'm a bit tired of doing this.
5. Saying I'm sorry, hurting, just wanna tell I still love you.
6. Hello, just to tell I got a mail about excessive bandwidth usage.
7. John tells "I love Mary."
Could #7 be possibly interpreted as: John can make "I love Mary" known (to all those in the room) or, John can tell (the three big words): I love Mary?
It has been argued that tell here is used in the same manner as "don't tell your password"*, i.e., the phrase "I love Mary" is the object of tell like "password".
Thanks in advance.
* M-W Online
tell transitive verb
3 a : to make known : DIVULGE, REVEAL<don't tell your password>
1. If you don't know it, just tell "I don't know" or "I am not sure."
2. If I'm wrong, just tell I'm wrong.
3. I'll just tell what I encountered..
4. Well, just to tell that I'm a bit tired of doing this.
5. Saying I'm sorry, hurting, just wanna tell I still love you.
6. Hello, just to tell I got a mail about excessive bandwidth usage.
7. John tells "I love Mary."
Could #7 be possibly interpreted as: John can make "I love Mary" known (to all those in the room) or, John can tell (the three big words): I love Mary?
It has been argued that tell here is used in the same manner as "don't tell your password"*, i.e., the phrase "I love Mary" is the object of tell like "password".
Thanks in advance.
* M-W Online
tell transitive verb
3 a : to make known : DIVULGE, REVEAL<don't tell your password>
Top answer
Hi BigBird, Welcome to the forums. Tell needs the indirect object too - You usually need to tell him or tell me or tell someone . " #3 is a little like that - tell the story of what you encountered.
- Hi BigBird, Welcome to the forums.
- Tell needs the indirect object too - You usually need to tell him or tell me or tell someone .
- " #3 is a little like that - tell the story of what you encountered.
- 1.
- " You're not conveying information here, just saying certain words.
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1 Answers
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Hi BigBird,
Welcome to the forums.
Tell needs the indirect object too - You usually need to tell him or tell me or tell someone. The exception would be "I'm going to tell a story." #3 is a little like that - tell the story of what you encountered.
1. If you don't know it, just say "I don't know" or "
Welcome to the forums.
Tell needs the indirect object too - You usually need to tell him or tell me or tell someone. The exception would be "I'm going to tell a story." #3 is a little like that - tell the story of what you encountered.
1. If you don't know it, just say "I don't know" or "
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