|
|
 #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.
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten
Learning Coach
Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 10071
Location: EU
|
|
| #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???  |
|
Fan Of Arabian Horses
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Posts: 1007
Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
|
 |
| #49 (permalink) Fri Nov 21, 2008 22:54 pm Shrink to think |
|
|
| Torsten wrote: |
Hello MrP,
So if the phrase 'I shrink to think' appeared in the Urban Dictionary or/and in Wikipedia would you then stop discussing it?
|
Hello Torsten,
If it had any currency as an idiomatic expression or set phrase, then naturally there would be nothing to discuss. But its half-dozen online occurrences show that it exists only as an extremely uncommon casual collocation. (Cf. "online occurrences" and "casual collocation", which are both much more common than "I shrink to think".)
Also compare its frequency with that of the other phrases in the test:
| Quote: |
I can't imagine.
I daren't think.
I haven't a clue.
Sorry, it's beyond me.
No, it's way above my head.
No, it's all Greek to me.
The mind boggles.
No idea.
No, you've lost me.
|
These are all common phrases, and no ESL student who used them would sound quaint and eccentric.
Best wishes,
MrP |
|
MrPedantic
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: Southern England
|
|
| #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
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten
Learning Coach
Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 10071
Location: EU
|
|
| #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 |
|
MrPedantic
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: Southern England
|
|
| #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
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten
Learning Coach
Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 10071
Location: EU
|
|
| #53 (permalink) Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:49 am Shrink to think |
|
|
| Alan wrote: |
| One, very colourful and mature student, took me aside one morning and said... |
Hi Alan
I am interested in the use of these commas and would request you to shed some light on it. Apparently you have used them for emphasis. Can we use commas if we want to highlight the subject? So, do you find it correct?
| Quote: |
| One, very stupid and shabby waiter, was serving us at the hotel. |
Many thanks
Tom |
|
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2061
|
|
| #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
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Not Really |
|
Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9215
Location: UK
|
|
| #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 |
|
MrPedantic
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: Southern England
|
|
| #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. |
|
 Anjuvaidoo
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 08 Sep 2008
Posts: 24
|
|
| #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
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story In short |
|
Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9215
Location: UK
|
|
| #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 |
|
Anjuvaidoo
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 08 Sep 2008
Posts: 24
|
|
| #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 ' ) |
|
Samer
New Member
Joined: 19 Sep 2008
Posts: 1
|
|
| #60 (permalink) Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:01 am SAMER |
|
|
HI
Thanks for the reply.HAPPY NEW YEAR. |
|
Anjuvaidoo
I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 08 Sep 2008
Posts: 24
|
|
|
| Help me to choose between make and do | Running out of patience? |
