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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Would and nostalgia
Is there an implication of nostalgia with the first example?
1. We would go there a lot when I was a child.
2. We went there a lot when I was a child.
1. We would go there a lot when I was a child.
2. We went there a lot when I was a child.
Top answer
I would tend to agree with your view. "When we were kids, my brother and I would go to the river to play during the summer".
- I would tend to agree with your view.
- "When we were kids, my brother and I would go to the river to play during the summer".
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18 Answers
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I would tend to agree with your view.
"When we were kids, my brother and I would go to the river to play during the summer".
"When we were kids, my brother and I would go to the river to play during the summer".
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For some reason, I can imagine only the first of these being commonly collocated:
We went there a lot when I was a child. I hated every minute.
?We would go there a lot when I was a child. I hated every minute.
We went there a lot when I was a child. I hated every minute.
?We would go there a lot when I was a child. I hated every minute.
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When we talk about the past, the context with "would" and "when" has more of a reminiscent implication than the context with just a direct past tense.
When we were kids, Mary and I played everyday at the front porch. This is more of a recalling tone.
When we were kids, Mary and I would play everyday at the front porch. This is more of a reminiscent
When we were kids, Mary and I played everyday at the front porch. This is more of a recalling tone.
When we were kids, Mary and I would play everyday at the front porch. This is more of a reminiscent
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But cf.
1. When I was a child, I would often cry for hours at a time.
2. When I was a child, my father would often beat me with his walking stick.
3. When I was a child, we would often go for days without food.
("Such, such were the joys...")
MrP
1. When I was a child, I would often cry for hours at a time.
2. When I was a child, my father would often beat me with his walking stick.
3. When I was a child, we would often go for days without food.
("Such, such were the joys...")
MrP
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Yes, I agree with the others. You can also say "used to", and it gives a similar ring of nostalgia:
We used to go to the beach every summer and play in the waves.
Regards,
A
We used to go to the beach every summer and play in the waves.
Regards,
A
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So maybe reminiscence is a geat part of using "would often", but not always.
I'm not sure MrP's additions are real or common examples. They seem a little forced. I'll look out for similar ones in the real world.
I'm not sure MrP's additions are real or common examples. They seem a little forced. I'll look out for similar ones in the real world.
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MrP, I'm asking whether the "would" versions are more often associated with/used to express nostalgia than the simple past versions are. We all know that "would" versions can also be used to talk about nasty pasts, so to speak.
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Anonymous
I'm not sure MrP's additions are real or common examples. They seem a little forced. I'll look out for similar ones in the real world.
Google on "would hit me", old chap. You'll find plenty of non-nostalgic examples.
MrP
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AnonymousMrP, I'm asking whether the "would" versions are more often associated with/used to express nostalgia than the simple past versions are. We all know that "would" versions can also be used to talk about nasty pasts, so to speak.
We like to repeat pleasant experiences; and we look back on them with pleasure. Thus verbal forms that expre
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In the printed forms, I "feel" no difference (but then I'm not prone to nostalgia). The tone of voice in the spoken forms would definitely evoke different emotions.
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