Difference between revisions of "Say"

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(say or tell ?)
(Syntax)
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:'''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>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Boris n'a pas informé Lily.''</span>
 
:*<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="color:#A08;">Boris</span> didn't tell <span style="color:#80A;">Lily</span>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''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>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''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;">anything</span>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''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>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Boris ne lui a pas dit de faire quoique ce soit.''</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>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Boris ne lui a pas dit de faire quoique ce soit.''</span>

Revision as of 21:05, 21 April 2020

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        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, to is 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.