Posted by cav on January 05, 2006 at 07:47:47:
In Reply to: Re: muppets hospice posted by PS on January 05, 2006 at 03:36:27:
: : Main entry : will : : : : : : "I wish to drown and no one will be able to help me." : : or maybe : : "I choose to drown and no one will have to help me." : : or maybe : : "I consent to drown and no ought to help me." : : This pretty close? Right on! Wow, that was more difficult than I first thought. I thought someone would point it out right away. The funny thing is in American and other nationality's English, that distinction is not present. We use them more or less interchangeably, but in most cases have removed "shall" altogether except in rare cases when we want to sound formal or make a polite suggestion, "shall we go?" Mostly we just say "will" for everything, and for suggestions we say something like ,"how 'bout we go" "why don't we go" "let's go" "you wanna go" Language fascinates me. It says so much about the speaker and we're mostly not cognizant of how we speak. Have you noticed how we can change our style of speaking depending on the listener, but often we don't recognize a conscious choice to do it? I notice it all the time at work. With younger hipper people I talk more slangy, and with others I talk more formally, sometimes I find myself using colloquialisms that I know they'll understand, but I hadn't noticed how I know which way to speak. It has to be verbal and visual cues like accent and body language. I've also noticed that ability to understand is largely based on our expectations. I noticed this in Japan and again recently with our guests. Some people refuse to be able to understand you even though others in the same group will. I think it has to do with perceptions. Some people think I shouldn't be understood so to them I'm not understandable. But others will be pleasantly surprised or relieved to see that we can communicate. I used to chat with some kids and teachers all the time and others would be shocked that it was possible. I could order perfectly in restaurants to the relief of a waiter who thought we were going to be trouble, but then if I was with a Japanese person, nothing I said would be comprehensible to the waiter. I would suppose that is the case for immigrants and visitors to this country too. Anyone have a similar experience?
: : Function: verb
: : Etymology: Middle English (1st & 3d sing. present indic.), from Old English wille (infinitive wyllan); akin to Old High German wili (3d singular present indicative) wills, Latin velle to wish, will
: : transitive senses : DESIRE, WISH
: : verbal auxiliary
: : 1 -- used to express desire, choice, willingness, consent...
: : Main Entry: shall
: : Function: verb
: : Etymology: Middle English shal (1st & 3d sing. present indic.), from Old English sceal; akin to Old High German scal (1st & 3d singular present indicative) ought to, must, Lithuanian skola debt
: : verbal auxiliary
: : ---> 1. archaic a : will have to : MUST b : will be able to : CAN
: : Thus the man said,