Married to

[ngamary]

Dear Teachers,

1) Last year she was married to a foreigner.

- Is this right to say?

2) Why don't you think so?

- Can i say " why do you not think so"?

3) I think i will never can love any other girl but my ex-girlfriend.

- Is this right to say?

4) She will be in my heart forever.

- Is this right to say?

Thanks a lot.

Ngamary.

[plin]

Hi, these are my thoughts.


1) Last year she was married to a foreigner.

- Is this right to say? Yes, the implication is that she is no longer married or that she is now married to someone else. If this is not the case, I would simply say, Last year she married a foreigner.

2) Why don't you think so?
- Can i say " why do you not think so"? Of course you can, but it sounds more natural with the contraction.



[3) I think i will never can love any other girl but my ex-girlfriend.

- Is this right to say? No, but you can say, I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend. Or, I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.

4) She will be in my heart forever.

- Is this right to say? Yes, another option would be, She will live in my heart forever.


Plin

[Fine Tree]

Hi,

> 1) Last year she was married to a foreigner.
> - Is this right to say? Yes, the implication is that she is no longer married or that she is now married to someone else. If this is not the case, I would simply say, Last year she married a foreigner.

Q1. According to the context, can't the original sentence mean the same thing as "Last year she married a foreigner"?

Q2. Which is more common, 1 or 2?
1. Last year she married a foreigner.
2. Last year she got married to a foreigner.


> 2) Why don't you think so?
> - Can i say " why do you not think so"? Of course you can, but it sounds more natural with the contraction.

1. Why don't you think so?
2. Why do you not think so?
To my eye, #1 means a suggestion, and #2 means a complaint. Am I totally wrong?


> I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend. Or, I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
In these sentences, is 'but' natural? In my thoughts, 'except' is much more natural. Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance.

[plin]

1) Last year she was married to a foreigner.
> - Is this right to say? Yes, the implication is that she is no longer married or that she is now married to someone else. If this is not the case, I would simply say, Last year she married a foreigner.

Q1. According to the context, can't the original sentence mean the same thing as "Last year she married a foreigner"? When I suggested one sentence for the other, it was intended to have the same meaning at the same time that I tried to get away from the connotations that I associated with the first sentence.



Q2. Which is more common, 1 or 2?
1. Last year she married a foreigner.
2. Last year she got married to a foreigner.

The two sentences look common and natural to me but perhaps (2) tips the balance.

> 2) Why don't you think so?
> - Can i say " why do you not think so"? Of course you can, but it sounds more natural with the contraction.

1. Why don't you think so?
2. Why do you not think so?
To my eye, #1 means a suggestion, and #2 means a complaint. Am I totally wrong? In my view, when we speak, the way we say some words determine their meaning. For example, if I say, Nice job, Mark!! it can be thought of as being a compliment; yet, if I say it sarcastically, it can be taken as a reproach. Depending on the tone we put on questions (1 and 2), we can get both of them to sound with the same connotations, I think. This being the case, I wouldn't stray from the actual meaning of the question, contraction or not.


> I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend. Or, I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
In these sentences, is 'but' natural? In my thoughts, 'except' is much more natural. Am I wrong? But here is a preposition meaning "with the exception of." The sentence then, should be fine. Still, in a sense I agree with you that "except" sounds more "natural," meaning more common.


Plin

[Fine Tree]

Thank you very much, Plin!
Please help me with some more.

> Q1. According to the context, can't the original sentence mean the same thing as "Last year she married a foreigner"?
> When I suggested one sentence for the other, it was intended to have the same meaning at the same time that I tried to get away from the connotations that I associated with the first sentence.
I can't catch the meaning. :cry: Would you explain this again in a easier way, please?

> (2) tips the balance. :?
Would you explain what this expression means, please?

> 1. Why don't you think so?
> 2. Why do you not think so?
> To my eye, #1 means a suggestion, and #2 means [a simple question], not a complaint.
Sorry. I should have asked like this. :) - I don't mean an intonation problem. Really I don't know what I should say. :cry:
Is these no difference in meaning?

> But here is a preposition meaning "with the exception of."
I asked this because a friends of mine insisted (and is still insisting) that we seldom use 'but' (or it is incorrect) in this context. :roll:

Thank you again and sorry for bothering you!

[plin]

> Q1. According to the context, can't the original sentence mean the same thing as "Last year she married a foreigner"?
> When I suggested one sentence for the other, it was intended to have the same meaning at the same time that I tried to get away from the connotations that I associated with the first sentence.
I can't catch the meaning. Would you explain this again in a easier way, please? If I keep going like this, very soon I will have to make the call, Mayday!! Mayday!! :D

Let's try it again.

1) Last year she was married to a foreigner.

2) Last year she married a foreigner.


The two sentences state the main idea or fact that a woman got married to someone last year (she changed her civil status from unmarried to married). The first sentence, besides the main idea, leaves open the possibility to think that since she "was" married last year, maybe she is not now.
All I am saying is that the second sentence, "Last year she married a foreigner," is straighforward and more to the point. When one hears it, its main meaning is understood to to be in effect today with little extra thought, if any.


(2) tips the balance.
Would you explain what this expression means, please? Look at my answer again, "The two sentences look common and natural to me but perhaps (2) tips the balance."

Did you ever have the chance to see one of those old scales which store owners would have to sell grain by the pound?
One bowl-like container would hang from each end of a usually short and straight piece of metal. In one bowl there was a metal or stone equivalent in weight to one pound. The seller was supposed to equal this weight with grain in the other bowl at which point the scale reached a balance or equilibrium.

Going back to your question. The two sentences looked equally common and natural to me, therefore, "in balance." Why sentence (2) tips the balance? Because "perhaps" (2) is used more than (1). Figuratively speaking, it "weighs" more than sentence (1).



> 1. Why don't you think so?
> 2. Why do you not think so?
> To my eye, #1 means a suggestion, and #2 means [a simple question], not a complaint.
Sorry. I should have asked like this. - I don't mean an intonation problem. Really I don't know what I should say.
Is these no difference in meaning? I don't see any difference in meaning; only in the fact that people may find it natural to use the one with the contraction.


> But here is a preposition meaning "with the exception of."
I asked this because a friends of mine insisted (and is still insisting) that we seldom use 'but' (or it is incorrect) in this context.

"I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend. Or, I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend."

The sentences above are similar to these ones:

No one is in the classroom but my teacher.

I don't like any dog but mine.


Certainly "but" can easily be replaced with "except" but this doesn't mean that the orignal sentences are wrong. If they are, I don't know where the error is.

Plin.

[Fine Tree]

> If I keep going like this, very soon I will have to make the call, Mayday!! Mayday!!
Thank you and sorry!
Let me bother you just one more time. [I'm very sorry!!!]

Q1. Let me get this straight.
1. Last year she was married to a foreigner.
2. Last year she married a foreigner.
3. Last year she was in the state that she was not single.
- #1 can mean either #2 or #3, but the meaning of #3 is the dominant one. Do I think right?


Q2. About 'but'
What do you think of these?
1. 'But' is OK
No one is in the classroom but my teacher.
<- No one is in the classroom but my teacher (is in the classroom).
I don't like any dog but mine.
<- I don't like any dog but (I like) mine.
2. 'But' is not OK
I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I will never love any girl but I will never love my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend will never love any girl.
I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I think I can't love any girl but I think I can love my ex-girlfriend.

Sorry and thank you!

[plin]

About question 1: The focus of our attention has been these two sentences, Last year she was married to a foreigner and Last year she married a foreigner. About them I said, "The two sentences state the main idea or fact that a woman got married to someone last year (she changed her civil status from unmarried to married)." Then, went on in more detail. Sorry, Fine Tree but this is how far I can go without getting deep in quicksand; :D so, I'll let Pete handle the rest of your questions. Are you there Pete? Mayday!! Mayday!! :D


Q2. About 'but'
What do you think of these?
1. 'But' is OK
No one is in the classroom but my teacher.
<- No one is in the classroom but my teacher (is in the classroom).
I don't like any dog but mine.
<- I don't like any dog but (I like) mine.
2. 'But' is not OK
I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I will never love any girl but I will never love my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I will never love any girl but my ex-girlfriend will never love any girl.
I think I can't love any girl but my ex-girlfriend.
← [NG] I think I can't love any girl but I think I can love my ex-girlfriend.

[Fine Tree]

Hi, Plin!
Thank you for your patient and help!