...,when

[Shinya Maki]

Hello everyone.

I think as the usual interpretation of the sentence below is that he left Japan on Sunday. Is it possible to interpret it as meaning “he left Japan for Rome on Monday, ie. the following day.”?

He stayed there till Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome.

Best regards,
Shinya Maki

[danmahaffey]

Hello everyone.

I think as the usual interpretation of the sentence below is that he left Japan on Sunday. Is it possible to interpret it as meaning “he left Japan for Rome on Monday, ie. the following day.”?

He stayed there till Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome.

Best regards,
Shinya MakiThat would be an unjustified interpretation. Even saying, He stayed there through Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome, has ambiguity problems. You might have to go all the way to He stayed there through Sunday, whereupon he left Japan for Rome. This is a sentence that wants to be rewritten to say Monday. :)

[Temico]

Hello everyone.

I think as the usual interpretation of the sentence below is that he left Japan on Sunday. Is it possible to interpret it as meaning “he left Japan for Rome on Monday, ie. the following day.”?

He stayed there till Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome.

Best regards,
Shinya Maki

"He stayed there till Sunday, after which he left Japan for Rome." means “he left Japan for Rome on Monday" ( no ambiguity)

[justlovelyfriends]

This can be understood as "He left Japan on Sunday"

He stayed there till Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome.

But if you change it into

He stayed there till Sunday, then he left Japan for Rome.

This can be understood as "He left Japan someday after Sunday"

[liuchunsheng123456]

This can be understood as "He left Japan on Sunday"

He stayed there till Sunday, when he left Japan for Rome.

But if you change it into

He stayed there till Sunday, then he left Japan for Rome.

This can be understood as "He left Japan someday after Sunday"


I think when sometimes has the meaning of 'after 'or 'before'.
When he came back,the question had already been settled.
When they had walked about ten miles ,they took a few minutes' rest .
That just my point of view ,I can't find better sentence.

[danmahaffey]

I think when sometimes has the meaning of 'after 'or 'before'.
When he came back,the question had already been settled.
When they had walked about ten miles ,they took a few minutes' rest .
That just my point of view ,I can't find better sentence.When means at that moment or at that time. If it is a question, when means at what moment or at what time. It's probably not wise to ask when to also mean before or after that moment.

When he came back, the question had already been settled means at the moment he came back, the question had already been settled. Whether the question had been settled for hours or years beforehand is not relevant to the use of when. Perhaps when is a photo, not a movie. :)

[liuchunsheng123456]

Thank you very much,I really learn a lot , 'when' looks like a photo ,not a movie .

[danmahaffey]

Thank you very much,I really learn a lot , 'when' looks like a photo ,not a movie .You are welcome. Please know that both of your sentences are truly correct, just that when means at that moment.

When he came back, the question had already been settled. = At the moment he came back, the question had already been settled.

When they had walked about ten miles, they took a few minutes' rest. = At the moment they had walked about ten miles, they took a few minutes' rest.

I'm glad you liked the photo / movie comparison. :) Words like while and during are the movies.He ate lunch while his sister took a nap.
During the exam, the clock ticked so loudly she couldn't think.
Good luck.