I've encountered a problem :)

[Tamara]

Hi

This site is actually a nest of patterns… I observe with smile that after some time of using it the vast majority :) of us, regular 'students', started to use quite similar language
and 'forum’s patterns'.

One of them is 'I came across ... ' – and you can see how often it occurs in 'introductions' for questions being asked by regular members.

But it doesn’t matter.:)

My true question is: can I say "I came across (some) problems" ? :) :)
How does it sound?

(My usual way is "encountered problems", but 'come across' and 'encounter' are quite close in meaning, aren’t they? )
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

My personal feeling for "come across" tells me I wouldn't use it quite so directly with the word "problem". But, that same feeling tells me I might "come across something that presents a problem". 8)

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tamara]

So you feeling says that in this case they are not synonyms
(And [you feel that] come across requires a bit more 'material' things to encounter than encounter does :))

Thank you, Amy.
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara :D

"Encounter a problem" sounds far more typical to me and therefore my feeling whispered in my ear that it's a better word partnership. :lol:

"Encounter" and "come across" are synonymous. And if you google "come across a problem" you will get over 60,000 results. (bnc returned only one result) What I gave you was my personal reaction to that particular collocation.

Interestingly, the majority of results on the first two Google pages seem to have come from "Techies". I wonder if I should read anything into that. :lol:

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tamara]

Hi Amy

Can I ask you one more question?

Do you normally use Perfect forms with to come across?
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at. :?:

I'd have no problem using a perfect form if the context calls for a perfect form. I don't think I can estimate how often I use "come across" in which tense, though.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tamara]

Thank you, Amy.

(I directly meant 'I had/have come across...' and 'I never had/have come across'.
No any hidden reefs in the question :) ;) )
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

Word order: had/have never come across ;)

Obviously, present perfect would be more often used than past perfect by any native speaker.

Amy
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln