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Snappy Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

With his left hand/With the left hand

I have once heard the difference in meaning between the following sentences.

1. He tossed the ball with his left hand. (= He used his left hand, and not his right hand.)
2. He tossed the ball with the left hand. (= He used his left hand because he is lefty.)

Do native speakers strictly distinguish 1. from 2.?
  

Top answer

I know of no such distinction. #2 doesn't sound natural to me, although there may be times when it would make sense.

— Philip

  • I know of no such distinction.
  • #2 doesn't sound natural to me, although there may be times when it would make sense.
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5 Answers
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I know of no such distinction. #2 doesn't sound natural to me, although there may be times when it would make sense.
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Hi,

A small extra comment.

because he is a lefty slang, informal

because he is left-handed not slang



Clive
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SnappyDo native speakers strictly distinguish 1. from 2.?
No. Not at all. For example, you might be saying that someone is left-handed by saying "He tosses a ball with his left hand". There's nothing about the determiner the (as opposed to his) which signifies handedness.

CJ
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Thank you everyone for your advice.
I found the following description in Longman's Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language.

"She throws the ball
with her left hand [2]
?with her left hand [2a]
One factor which could make [2a] acceptable, and indeed normal, is the interpretation 'she is left-handed'. Similarly:
She kicks the ball with the left foot (because she i
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SnappyMy example was in the past tense. On the other hand, the above examples are in the present tense.

Can I understand that "He tosses the ball with the left hand." is acceptable if he is left-handed?

Tense would not make a difference.
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