Difference between revisions of "Say"
From Creolista!
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:'''Say''' requires a <span style="color:#A08;font-variant:small-caps;">sender</span> and a <span style="color:#0A8;font-variant:small-caps;">message</span>, i.e. ''what'' is said. <span style="font-size:75%;">(''ce qui est dit'', ou ''ce qu'on dit'')</span> | :'''Say''' requires a <span style="color:#A08;font-variant:small-caps;">sender</span> and a <span style="color:#0A8;font-variant:small-caps;">message</span>, i.e. ''what'' is said. <span style="font-size:75%;">(''ce qui est dit'', ou ''ce qu'on dit'')</span> | ||
:*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't say <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span>. | :*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't say <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span>. | ||
| − | ::It is optional to mention the <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span> of the message. | + | ::It is optional to mention the <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span> of the message. |
| + | ::That person is introduced with the operator/preposition ''to''. | ||
::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't say <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span> <span style="color:#80A;">to Lily</span>. | ::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't say <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span> <span style="color:#80A;">to Lily</span>. | ||
Revision as of 21:48, 21 April 2020
Contents
[hide]Pronunciation
present tense: say: /seɪ/, rhymes with the letter A, & the words way, and weigh
- says: /sez/, rhymes with fez
past tense & past participle: said, /sed/, rhymes with bed
Semantics
The fourth most common verb in English (after the auxiliaries be, have, & do), it means speak or assert. (dire in French).
Syntax
say or tell ?
- Say requires a sender and a message, i.e. what is said. (ce qui est dit, ou ce qu'on dit)
- Boris didn't say anything.
- It is optional to mention the receiver of the message.
- That person is introduced with the operator/preposition to.
- Boris didn't say anything to Lily.
- Tell requires a sender (S) and a receiver (destinataire) (whom, us, them, etc.). to is not used to introduce the indirect object.
- Boris didn't tell her.
- The optional direct object (COD) can be either a noun phrase (the answer, the truth, a lie, a story, ...) or an infinitival (to wait, to call back later... etc.)
- Boris didn't tell her anything.
- Boris didn't tell her to do anything.
