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Hans51 Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Usage of 'overseas'

I have learned that overseas modifies nouns in front like overseas firms and if it modifies nouns behind like firms overseas, there is a meaning difference between them. Do you agree with that?

And I have seen a sentence, "Lawmakers are at odds over the role of the country's Self-Defense Forces overseas." And
I was wondering if overseas can modify Self-Defense Forces like the country's overseas Self-Defense Forces and is there a meaning difference between them then?

What do you native English speakers think? Thank you so much as usual in advance!
  

Top answer

To me the pre-modifier is more likely to indicate a permanent condition or quality, while the post-modifier indicates a temporary situation. That seems a clear difference in your 2nd example, but there is less difference, even synonymy, in your first example.

  • To me the pre-modifier is more likely to indicate a permanent condition or quality, while the post-modifier indicates a temporary situation.
  • That seems a clear difference in your 2nd example, but there is less difference, even synonymy, in your first example.
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5 Answers
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To me the pre-modifier is more likely to indicate a permanent condition or quality, while the post-modifier indicates a temporary situation. That seems a clear difference in your 2nd example, but there is less difference, even synonymy, in your first example.
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Thank you so much as usual! And I was wondering why you do not apply the same rule to the first example, overseas firms and firms overseas?
Mister MicawberTo me the pre-modifier is more likely to indicate a permanent condition or quality, while the post-modifier indicates a temporary situation.
According to your explanation, there should be some
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"Overseas" means the speaker is talking about his country's organizations that are in foreign countries. "Overseas" can be put before or after the noun, with no change in meaning (that I can detect).

The government is concerned about its armed forces (stationed) overseas. (Its military forces that are in foreign countries.)

The government is concerned about its overseas armed f
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Thank you so much and some book says there is a meaning difference between overseas student and student overseas, saying overseas student means one who comes from abroad to my country and student overseas means one who comes to other countries from my country. What do you think?
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Hans51ome book says there is a meaning difference between overseas student and student overseas, saying overseas student means one who comes from abroad to my country and student overseas means one who comes to other countries from my country. What do you think?
Those are possible but not necessary differences. Look at the general difference (temporary vs perm

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