Don’t “recommend me”

[Rusty Nails]

Here's an oldie but goodie:
Jane while Joan had had had had had had had had had had had better marks from the teacher.

Lexical and syntactic ambiguity are surprisingly common in English; in writing, correct punctuation helps avoid it and in speech, stress, general intonation and word order is the solution.

​

The sign maker made sure there was enough space between Marks and and and and and Spencer.

 

[KnittyNorah]

The sign maker made sure there was enough space between Marks and "and" and "and" and Spencer.

LOL!

 

[raleighnut]

What happened to 'please'

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Okay, what's the proper way of commenting on the weather, because you can confuse people who say "it's raining" by asking "what is?" even though you know full well what they mean.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

And another one. What's the difference between "The shop is closed" and "the shop is shut"?

 

[Moon bunny]

I am on Leeds station and the announcer has just said “...exiting the station”: I know where the office is, now I need a big stick.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

I am on Leeds station and the announcer has just said “...exiting the station”: I know where the office is, now I need a big stick.

Do you know whete the orifice is?

 

[DaveReading]

No of course not. Unless you say to someone 'give me to ...' (the hungry unfed lions, the Queen ...)

Just as if you say 'bring me ...' you are not saying that you wish to be brought (to justice, maybe?)

I agree.

But then I don't see why you are taking exception to "recommend me ..." (a good restaurant, for example). Use of "to" with an indirect object is often optional.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I agree.

But then I don't see why you are taking exception to "recommend me ..." (a good restaurant, for example).

To reduce ambiguity, which can lead to all sorts of problems. In some contexts it's fine and in others, not so much. We have no context here, and when teaching foreign language students, they often make errors in context. Always better to avoid ambiguity!
And sometime it just sounds clumsy and imprecise.

 

[DaveReading]

To reduce ambiguity, which can lead to all sorts of problems. In some contexts it's fine and in others, not so much. We have no context here, and when teaching foreign language students, they often make errors in context. Always better to avoid ambiguity!
And sometime it just sounds clumsy and imprecise.

OK, though I don't remember any of my students finding that ambiguous - omitting the preposition when an indirect object precedes a direct object is a common enough construction.

When I say to them "Make me a cup of tea", they don't think I'm asking to be transformed into Earl Grey.

 

[winjim]

OK, though I don't remember any of my students finding that ambiguous - omitting the preposition when an indirect object precedes a direct object is a common enough construction.

When I say to them "Make me a cup of tea", they don't think I'm asking to be transformed into Earl Grey.

The Dalai Lama ordering a pizza: 'Make me one with everything'.