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Language: My delusion or no
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RB
Emperor
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2003 1:25 am Posts: 2560
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Language: My delusion or no
The phrase: "Shall we do it at once?"
1. Is this valid phrase?
2. Means that person who say it become impatient about doing some thing.
3. Comments, explainations?
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 5:32 am |
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Pig
Duke
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 8:59 am Posts: 1358 Location: right behind you
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It is valid, but uncommon. It means the person asking thinks it should be done immediately, but does not imply impatience.
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 5:47 am |
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pevil
Minor Diety
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:43 am Posts: 4316
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Quite so mr pig. Pretty much a "well we will do it but shall we do it now or after we've done this thing?" comment, more than impatience.
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 6:59 am |
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Mole
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:09 pm Posts: 4004 Location: Walsall, West Mids, UK
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Yup, its fine, just most people would more likely say "Shall we do it right away?"
_________________ Games to complete: GTA IV [100%] (For Multiplayer next!) Fallout 3 [50%] Rock Band [35%] http://www.cafepress.com/SmeepProducts
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 6:59 am |
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Rinox
Minor Diety
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 7:23 am Posts: 14892 Location: behind a good glass of Duvel
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Modality sucks ass.
_________________ "I find a Burger Tank in this place? I'm-a be a one-man cheeseburger apocalypse."
- Coach
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 9:58 am |
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Satis
Felix Rex
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2003 6:01 pm Posts: 16661 Location: On a slope
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lol, coming from the English major.
Agreed, anyway, it's a valid phrase but not something a native English speaker would typically use. 'at once', for instance, is not something most people would EVER say, regardless the sentence or meaning.
_________________ They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
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Sun Apr 25, 2004 7:18 pm |
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Mole
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:09 pm Posts: 4004 Location: Walsall, West Mids, UK
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It depends on who you are. Or rather, in what context. For instance there's a dude at work who fucking around alot recently, and if my boss tells him to do something which he doesn't do, it's not uncommon for her (though she just demoted her self, no idea who it is now) to say "When I say do *something* I mean do it at once!" But then, It's more common for her to say "Right away!"
_________________ Games to complete: GTA IV [100%] (For Multiplayer next!) Fallout 3 [50%] Rock Band [35%] http://www.cafepress.com/SmeepProducts
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 4:30 am |
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derf
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:17 pm Posts: 7721 Location: Centre of the sun
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It doesnt imply impatience at all. Its quite a formal and precise phrase that also is very forward and no-non-sensical.
_________________ "Well a very, very hevate, ah, heavy duh burtation tonight. We had a very derrist derrison, bite, let's go ahead and terrist teysond those fullabit who have the pit." - Serene Branson
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:26 am |
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Mole
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:09 pm Posts: 4004 Location: Walsall, West Mids, UK
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It could be impatient. Like in my previous post, it depends entirely upon how it is said. Like everything.
I fucking hate you, could be a joke, or serious. Like that.
_________________ Games to complete: GTA IV [100%] (For Multiplayer next!) Fallout 3 [50%] Rock Band [35%] http://www.cafepress.com/SmeepProducts
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:10 am |
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Franny
Marquis
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2003 11:08 am Posts: 940 Location: over there
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it's not impatient, if it was you wouldn't say shall we....you'd say let's do it at once or something like that
_________________ Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a night.
Set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Satis Clankiller
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:38 pm |
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Mole
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:09 pm Posts: 4004 Location: Walsall, West Mids, UK
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It depends fool! It can be taken any way, depending on how you say it. by "proper" terms, it might not be impatient. But you could say it with an impatient tone! Such as to 'snap' it.
_________________ Games to complete: GTA IV [100%] (For Multiplayer next!) Fallout 3 [50%] Rock Band [35%] http://www.cafepress.com/SmeepProducts
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:57 pm |
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J
Minor Diety
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2003 12:31 pm Posts: 3334 Location: Belgium
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Since i must be one of the members that knows least about english:
Shall is polite i thought, rather formal.
At once does imply impatience imo, it sounds rather strong.
So I wouldn't use these 2 in one sentence because it contradicts, you're not going to ask nicely to a superior for example to move his lazy ass. It could sound impatient or polite, depending how you put the stress in the sentence. But i think it just puts 2 too different emotions together.
_________________ Beter een pens van het zuipen dan een bult van het werken!
~King of Thieves~
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 12:26 am |
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derf
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:17 pm Posts: 7721 Location: Centre of the sun
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Jeez Mole. Of course the tone matters but we cant assume tone when reading text.
_________________ "Well a very, very hevate, ah, heavy duh burtation tonight. We had a very derrist derrison, bite, let's go ahead and terrist teysond those fullabit who have the pit." - Serene Branson
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 7:56 am |
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Mole
Minor Diety
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2003 5:09 pm Posts: 4004 Location: Walsall, West Mids, UK
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I know. But its true, and its a language question, not a literature question! (yes, i know language is written too but shush!) anyway, point made now
_________________ Games to complete: GTA IV [100%] (For Multiplayer next!) Fallout 3 [50%] Rock Band [35%] http://www.cafepress.com/SmeepProducts
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:16 pm |
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Franny
Marquis
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2003 11:08 am Posts: 940 Location: over there
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When it's written down, you have to imagine it in monotone, because it's actually a literature question when it's written down. Therefore it implys no impatience.
Your assuming it to be spoken to you, and therefore is totally ambiguous as you don't know what tone it's spoken in, so can make no judgement on whether it's impatient or not.
_________________ Give a man a fire, he'll be warm for a night.
Set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Satis Clankiller
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Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:51 am |
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