Difference between revisions of "Say"
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==Pronunciation== | ==Pronunciation== | ||
− | <span style="color:#888;font-variant:small-caps;">present tense:</span> '''say''': /<span style="color:#050;">seɪ</span>/, <span style="font-size:74%;">rhymes with the letter ''A'', | + | <span style="color:#888;font-variant:small-caps;">present tense:</span> '''say''': /<span style="color:#050;">seɪ</span>/, <span style="font-size:74%;">rhymes with the letter ''A'', and the words ''way'', and ''weigh''</span><br> |
:::::'''says''': /<span style="color:#050;">sez</span>/, <span style="font-size:74%;">rhymes with ''fez''</span> | :::::'''says''': /<span style="color:#050;">sez</span>/, <span style="font-size:74%;">rhymes with ''fez''</span> | ||
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==Semantics== | ==Semantics== | ||
The fourth most common verb in English <span style="font-size:74%;">(after the auxiliaries ''be'', ''have'', & ''do'')</span>, it means ''speak'' or ''assert''. (''dire'' in French). | The fourth most common verb in English <span style="font-size:74%;">(after the auxiliaries ''be'', ''have'', & ''do'')</span>, it means ''speak'' or ''assert''. (''dire'' in French). | ||
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+ | It is used in situations where a person '''sends a message''' through speech <span style="font-size:65%;">(or writing, ''n'en déplaise aux puristes'')</span>. | ||
==Syntax== | ==Syntax== | ||
− | ===<span style=font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;">say or tell ?</span>=== | + | ===<span style="color:#207;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-size:70%;">say or tell ?</span>=== |
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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> ''Boris n'a rien dit.''</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''. | + | ::. That person is introduced with <span style="color:#888;font-size:70%;font-variant:small-caps;">the operator/preposition</span> ''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>. ''Boris n'a rien dit à Lily.''</span> |
:<hr> | :<hr> | ||
:'''Tell''' requires a <span style="color:#A08;font-variant:small-caps;">sender</span> and a <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span> <span style="font-size:75%;">(''destinataire'') (whom, us, them, etc.)</span>. | :'''Tell''' requires a <span style="color:#A08;font-variant:small-caps;">sender</span> and a <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span> <span style="font-size:75%;">(''destinataire'') (whom, us, them, etc.)</span>. | ||
− | :Unlike with ''say'', <s style=color:#888;">to</s> is '''not''' needed to introduce the <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span>.<br> | + | :. Unlike with ''say'', <s style=color:#888;">to</s> is '''not''' needed to introduce the <span style="color:#80A;font-variant:small-caps;">receiver</span>.<br> |
− | :*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span>. | + | :*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span>. ''Boris n'a pas informé Lily.''</span> |
− | ::The optional <span style="color:#0A8;font-variant:small-caps;">direct object (COD)</span> can be either a noun phrase <span style="font-size:78%;">(the answer, the truth, a lie, a story, ...)</span> or an infinitival <span style="font-size:78%;">(to wait, to call back later... etc.)</span> | + | ::. The optional <span style="color:#0A8;font-variant:small-caps;">direct object (COD)</span> can be either a noun phrase <span style="font-size:78%;">(the answer, the truth, a lie, a story, ...)</span> or an infinitival <span style="font-size:78%;">(to wait, to call back later... etc.)</span> |
− | ::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span> <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span>. | + | ::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span> <span style="color:#0A8;">anything</span>. ''Boris n'a rien dit à Lily.''</span> |
− | ::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span> <span style="color:#0A8;">to do anything</span>.</span> | + | ::*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span> <span style="color:#0A8;">to do anything</span>. ''Boris ne lui a pas dit de faire quoique ce soit.''</span> |
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+ | ===<span style="color:#207;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-size:75%;">reported speech</span>=== | ||
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+ | :'''say''' is most frequently <span style="font-size:73%;">(or at least ''very'' frequently)</span> used to talk about "what ''was'' said" in the past. For direct quotes this presents no problem: | ||
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+ | :*They said "No way!" | ||
+ | :*They said OK. | ||
+ | :*They said no. | ||
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+ | :Most often though, we transpose what ''was'' said into the past tense: | ||
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+ | :*<span style="font-variant:small-caps;font-size:70%;">Lily at the '''10am''' meeting</span>: I ''can't'' be here tonight, my flight ''is'' leaving at 7pm.<br> | ||
+ | :*<span style="font-variant:small-caps;font-size:70%;">Boris at the '''6pm''' meeting</span>: Lily said <span style="color:#777;">(that)</span> she ''couldn't'' be here tonight because her flight ''was'' leaving at 7pm. | ||
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+ | :If what was said was already in the past tense, we ''sometimes'' transpose to the past perfect. | ||
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+ | ===<span style="color:#207;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-size:75%;">tenses, aspects, modes=== | ||
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+ | :'''Say''' is compatible with both present & past tenses, with perfective and imperfective (continuous) aspects, and with all of the English modal verbs. | ||
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+ | :*just sayin' = ''je dis ça, je dis rien''. ^^ | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category:100-en]] |
Latest revision as of 22:42, 21 April 2020
Contents
[hide]Pronunciation
present tense: say: /seɪ/, rhymes with the letter A, and 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).
It is used in situations where a person sends a message through speech (or writing, n'en déplaise aux puristes).
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 Boris n'a rien dit.
- . 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. Boris n'a rien dit à Lily.
- Tell requires a sender and a receiver (destinataire) (whom, us, them, etc.).
- . Unlike with say,
tois not needed to introduce the receiver.
- Boris didn't tell Lily. Boris n'a pas informé Lily.
- . 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 Lily anything. Boris n'a rien dit à Lily.
- Boris didn't tell Lily to do anything. Boris ne lui a pas dit de faire quoique ce soit.
reported speech
- say is most frequently (or at least very frequently) used to talk about "what was said" in the past. For direct quotes this presents no problem:
- They said "No way!"
- They said OK.
- They said no.
- Most often though, we transpose what was said into the past tense:
- Lily at the 10am meeting: I can't be here tonight, my flight is leaving at 7pm.
- Boris at the 6pm meeting: Lily said (that) she couldn't be here tonight because her flight was leaving at 7pm.
- Lily at the 10am meeting: I can't be here tonight, my flight is leaving at 7pm.
- If what was said was already in the past tense, we sometimes transpose to the past perfect.
tenses, aspects, modes
- Say is compatible with both present & past tenses, with perfective and imperfective (continuous) aspects, and with all of the English modal verbs.
- just sayin' = je dis ça, je dis rien. ^^