tricky question

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Message de freeday posté le 2004-08-31 12:36:22 (S | E | F | I)
I suggest a little game if I may call it so.

You know that after 'like' it is sometimes possible to use either gerund or infinitive but there tends to be a slight difference in implication. Do you know it ? Can you explain these sentences :
a) I like running. -
b) I like to run. -
c) I didn't like saying it. -
d) I didn't like to say it. -

Réponse: re:tricky question de joy813, postée le 2004-08-31 15:03:41 (S | E)
Well, I'm going to try, but I'm not sure :

a) I like running. : just now
b) I like to run : in general
c) I didn't like saying it : for the moment
d) I didn't like to say it : everytime

Réponse: re:tricky question de serena, postée le 2004-08-31 16:35:10 (S | E)
freeday is back !! is it for another list ?

well, let's explain the meanings of your expressions by completing the sentences. I didn't find another way to do it.

a) I like running because it's my favourite sport : something I can't do without.
b) I like to run when I got the blues : something I don't do very often.
c) I didn't like saying it but she got me on my nerves : things I'm not used to say.
d) I didn't like to say it but it's a very known word : something I say because I'm forced to.

looking forwards to being right !

see you!

Réponse: re:tricky question de freeday, postée le 2004-08-31 20:19:04 (S | E)
Very interesting suggestions from both of you. You haven't really got the right answers but you're on the right lines. So keep looking !!!

See you !!!

Réponse: re:tricky question de willy, postée le 2004-08-31 21:07:04 (S | E)
Like + ing means "enjoy", so you enjoy running , you didn't enjoy saying it.

Like + infinitive = choose to, think it right to, so, you think it right to run, you didn't think it right to say it.

Well ?

Réponse: re:tricky question de traviskidd, postée le 2004-09-01 01:37:15 (S | E)
I think "I like running" means the same as "I like to run", except that "I like running" carries a very subtle connotation that the speaker is recalling one or more specific instances in the past when he was running.

"I like to run" is (a very little bit!) more expressive of an abstract general truth.

(Also, "I like running" can mean "I like the sport of running", regardless of whether the speaker himself runs.)

"I didn't like saying it" and "I didn't like to say it" can both mean "Je n'aimais pas le dire." (There was something that, in general, I didn't like to say.) The subtle difference between them is the same as before.

"I didn't like saying it" can also mean "Je n'ai pas aimé le dire." (There was a specific instance where I said something, and at that time I did not enjoy the experience of saying it.)

So ... am I right?

Réponse: re:tricky question de serena, postée le 2004-09-01 01:44:42 (S | E)
hi travis!

I think you're right, because it's mostly what I meant in my explanations.
but I don't know why freeday said there were mistakes.

I know that the only verbs which change the meaning of a sentence when they're not followed by gerunds are : forget, remember and stop.
but with "like" there is really a very subtle difference.
so, let's wait for the right answers !

Réponse: re:tricky question de traviskidd, postée le 2004-09-01 02:28:49 (S | E)
In fact the word "try" also changes meaning.

"I'm trying to get into the house but the key won't work."
"Oh, too bad! Well, maybe you can try going through the window."

Now the test: can you explain the difference?

Réponse: re:tricky question de serena, postée le 2004-09-01 02:42:30 (S | E)
ok ! let's try doing you're test.

"I'm trying to get into the house but the key won't work."
It means that : I want to get into the house, but I can't because the key is spoiled.

"Oh, too bad! Well, maybe you can try going through the window."
= you can attempt to enter the house from the window.

whammy or..... ?

Réponse: re:tricky question de minouche15, postée le 2004-09-01 18:18:39 (S | E)
a) I like running = J'aime la course (running pris comme subtentif)
b) I like to run = J'aime courir

c) I didn't like saying it = ?
d) I didn't like to say it = Je n'aime pas le dire

Réponse: re:tricky question de traviskidd, postée le 2004-09-02 01:49:26 (S | E)
I think you understand, serena.

Try + infinitive denotes the goal.

Try + gerund denotes the method.

Réponse: re:tricky question de serena, postée le 2004-09-02 02:49:59 (S | E)
GREAT !!! This time, I deserve BIG BUCKS !!!

Now, this is my test :
do these sentences have the same meaning ?

- I stopped to buy flowers.
- I stopped buying flowers.

see you !

Réponse: re:tricky question de willy, postée le 2004-09-02 09:44:57 (S | E)
I tried to speak English though I'm not good at it = I made an EFFORT to speak English.
I tried to open the door (a GOAL); I tried turning the key in the lock, I tried pushing it, I even tried turning the handle (it might not have been locked) = EXPERIENCE

I didn't know whether the man spoke English, so, I tried speakING Dutch, German, Spanish to see which language he was able to understand = it was an EXPERIENCE, not an effort as I was able to speak those languages.

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Edité par willy le 2004-09-02 10:35:07

Réponse: re:tricky question de freeday, postée le 2004-09-02 18:25:02 (S | E)
Well done ! You've found the slight difference between the use of gerund
and the use of infinitive. You're right willy when you said that 'like +gerund' means 'enjoy'.it also implies that the action is performed in (a).
'like + infinitive' has more the meaning of 'approve of' as traviskidd suggested. In the affirmative (b) it gives no indication as to whether the action is performed or not and in the negative, it implies that it is not performed. 'I didn't like saying it' (c) usually means that 'I said it unwillingly'. 'I didn't like to say it' means 'I didn't say it' because it didn't seem right or sensible.

Réponse: re:tricky question de willy, postée le 2004-09-02 20:52:35 (S | E)
I was in the High Street and I stopped to buy flowers : there is a goal here ; I wanted to buy some. J'ai arrêté POUR acheter...

I stopped buying flowers : my wife never liked them, so, it was no use buying any. J'ai arrêté D'acheter ...

I've stopped working to smoke a cigarette. It's not true ! I hate smoking (TWO meanings !).

PS : as nobody had answered, I did it .......;

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Edité par willy le 2004-09-02 20:54:19

Réponse: re:tricky question de serena, postée le 2004-09-03 00:19:02 (S | E)
hello willy

of course you're right !

stop + infinitive = stop and do something else
stop + gerund = stop a habit.

for the third sentence, many thanks for adding it !

well, someone else has another exercise ? maybe willy ?

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