Shrink to think

Alan · #46 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:47 am *Shrink to think*

Hi Torsten,

I have to adopt the profile of a 'shrinking violet' in the hope that they won't see me! But I just love being called 'quaint and eccentric' - it's the nicest thing anyone has said about me for ages.

Alan
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Torsten · #47 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:57 am *Shrink to think*

Hi Alan,

I'm afraid going 'shrinking violet' won't do the trick. You might not be aware of the magnitude and clout of the ELP. Once they have identified a perpetrator they won't rest until law and order have been restored. This is not about calling somebody 'quaint and eccentric'. This is a much more serious business because the very existence of the English language is at stake.

TOEIC short conversations: A customer makes an appointment to have his car serviced

Foah · #48 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 21:21 pm *Shrink to think*

Are you kidding only or is this a story from H.G.Orwell´s 1984??? :shock:
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MrPedantic · #49 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 22:54 pm *Shrink to think*

Torsten · #50 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 23:03 pm *Shrink to think*

Hello MrP,

So it's all about 'online occurrences', isn't it? In other words, if a phrase doesn't 'occur' online their users are classified as 'quaint and eccentric'? By the way, who is in charge of the organization that labels somebody as 'quaint and eccentric'? How do you know you are not perceived as quaint and eccentric yourself?

Best wishes,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: An employee asks her co-worker to help her get extra company sports tickets

MrPedantic · #51 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 23:24 pm *Shrink to think*

<...online occurrences...>

If a phrase doesn't occur online, or in any lists of idioms, it is very unlikely to be a set phrase.

<... By the way, who is in charge of the organization who labels somebody as 'quaint and eccentric'?...>

The test is designed for "elementary" ESL students. Native speakers who hear an ESL student say "I shrink to think" will think it a quaint mistake for "I shudder to think".

All the best,

MrP

Torsten · #52 (permalink) Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:48 am *Shrink to think*

Hello MrP,

What do you make of the following sentence: "I shrink to think it necessary to take such steps but industrial leaders refuse to take action." Is that also a case of the author mixing two set phrases?

All the very best,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: A customer returns a clock radio to the store because it doesn't work

Tom · #53 (permalink) Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:49 am *Shrink to think*

Alan · #54 (permalink) Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:26 am *Shrink to think*

Hi Tom,

I have to confess that my commas were redundant and I can excuse myself by saying there were typing mistakes! I'll put it right. Thanks for pointing it out.

Alan
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You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

MrPedantic · #55 (permalink) Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:50 am *Shrink to think*

Hello Torsten,

1. "I shrink to think it necessary to take such steps but industrial leaders refuse to take action."

As before, "I shrink to think" may be:

a. a performance error, i.e. a jumbling of idioms
b. an idiosyncratic and personal usage
c. a deliberate play on words

The context seems to rule out the third option in your example; the first is quite likely, as it's direct speech, and people often make mistakes in speech; but I suspect that it's the second.

In addition, it's quite unusual to use even "I shudder to think" with an "it + adj. + infinitive" construction. On the whole, the phrase stands alone ("I shudder to think!"), or in a "that" construction, e.g.

2. I shudder to think that XYZ could happen

Best wishes,

MrP

Anjuvaidoo · #56 (permalink) Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:32 am *Shrink to think*

hi torsten
what does it mean shrink to think.i m still confused.is it mean i don't want to think.

Alan · #57 (permalink) Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:45 am *Shrink to think*

Hi,

I'm not surprised that you are confused after all the 'hot air' expelled over that expression. When I wrote 'I shrink to think', I was using it to mean: I am frightened to think about something as in: In view of all the money problems in the world at the moment I shrink to think what will happen in 2009.

I hope that makes it a little clearer.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Passive Voice

Anjuvaidoo · #58 (permalink) Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:12 am *Shrink to think*

hi

thansks for reply. but this page i already read it and .still i couldn't understand the meaning of shrink to think .i feel i need more ciearification, please don't mind.it'd be better if u give me some more examples.thanks

Samer · #59 (permalink) Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:35 am *Shrink to think*

hi , I'm samer
when we say "shrink to think" because I didn't hear about it before.
and thank you very much ( 'ر ' )

Anjuvaidoo · #60 (permalink) Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:01 am *SAMER*

HI
Thanks for the reply.HAPPY NEW YEAR.

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