"In a similar vein, when people do introduce themselves the format often adopted is “Pleased to meet you. My name is Frank ... Frank Spencer.” I then think “Ah, Frank Frank Spencer, like Boutros Boutros-Ghali.”
I would say that giving your first name twice in that way is giving permission for them to use your first name while giving your full name for identification purposes. A neat way of avoiding the "Please call me......" thing.
Not what you were originally asking, but every time my father in law comes round he tells me that my garden 'needs a good water' and I have to restrain myself as the phrase now makes me want to scream! We have a very big south facing garden and we are also on a water meter, it would be physically impossible to constantly keep it looking moist. My plants are all thriving, where as my in laws' garden is a tiny dying square of grass surrounded with junk.
(Before anyone thinks I'm being mean about an elderly man, he's only 60)
Next time he says it, reply with " this is as may be : but it still looks better than yours"
I really should but the thing is, he's not saying it to be mean, he's very complimentary about the garden but then always ends with 'it needs a good water' or 'make sure you water the plants' as if it's some sort of revolutionary advice that I'm unaware of.
He is a 'car person' so next time he shows me his car I might end with 'make sure you put petrol in it'.
@BenCotto I've never been able to get my head around bring and take either. I avoid them if I can . Order of adjectives is instinctive to a native speaker, I believe. Interesting to see it confirmed in a list.
Not what you were originally asking, but every time my father in law comes round he tells me that my garden 'needs a good water' and I have to restrain myself as the phrase now makes me want to scream! We have a very big south facing garden and we are also on a water meter, it would be physically impossible to constantly keep it looking moist. My plants are all thriving, where as my in laws' garden is a tiny dying square of grass surrounded with junk.
(Before anyone thinks I'm being mean about an elderly man, he's only 60)
Next time he says it, reply with " this is as may be : but it still looks better than yours"
I really should but the thing is, he's not saying it to be mean, he's very complimentary about the garden but then always ends with 'it needs a good water' or 'make sure you water the plants' as if it's some sort of revolutionary advice that I'm unaware of.
He is a 'car person' so next time he shows me his car I might end with 'make sure you put petrol in it'.
Hubby's father always told me I needed to lose weight and it'd kill me. I'm afraid I got so fed up with it , that one day I replied. " I'll outlive you " He never mentioned it again, and I was right.
Would you say bring is 'there-to-here' and take is 'here-to-there' more? Bring a bottle - from where you are to here. Take a free sample - from here to wherever you're going.
...doesn't it? You're talking a future state where the person is assuming/projecting that they're at the other location so 'shall I bring a bottle' implies from there-to-here doesn't it? I will be at your place and the bottle is at mine or at some other place as yet to be determined?
Then there's the saying: ' You can't take it with you'
Which is here to there - you can't take it from here to 'the other side'
Can you bring your dog (from where you are now to the park)? No, I don't like to take him (from where I am now to the park) on the bus. I'm sure there are exceptions (there always are) but it's not a bad rule of thumb
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
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"In a similar vein, when people do introduce themselves the format often adopted is “Pleased to meet you. My name is Frank ... Frank Spencer.” I then think “Ah, Frank Frank Spencer, like Boutros Boutros-Ghali.”
I would say that giving your first name twice in that way is giving permission for them to use your first name while giving your full name for identification purposes. A neat way of avoiding the "Please call me......" thing.
He is a 'car person' so next time he shows me his car I might end with 'make sure you put petrol in it'.
I've never been able to get my head around bring and take either. I avoid them if I can .
Order of adjectives is instinctive to a native speaker, I believe. Interesting to see it confirmed in a list.
I'm afraid I got so fed up with it , that one day I replied.
" I'll outlive you "
He never mentioned it again, and I was right.
”Thanks. Shall I bring a bottle?”
That’s more here to there so your rule doesn’t quite work.
Can you bring your dog (from where you are now to the park)? No, I don't like to take him (from where I am now to the park) on the bus. I'm sure there are exceptions (there always are) but it's not a bad rule of thumb
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”