New Year resolution :)

[Tamara]

Hi

What word do you prefer to use for the promise (mainly and usually - promise to yourself ) not to do something that you consider(agree) as being bad – in some sense - for you and/or for people you love?

My monstrous translation system offers:

make a vow
foreswear [smoking]
swear off [drink]
take the pledge
sign the pledge

?
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

If you're talking to yourself rather than to the loved one or reporting the promise to a third party, what about just using a sentence with the "be going to" future? I doubt whether I'd get too complicated with vocabulary if I were talking only to myself.

"I'm never ever going to do that again."
"I swear I'm going to stop doing that."
"I'm not going to do that anymore --- ever!"

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Tamara]

Amy, do I understand you right that:

- my (quoted) list is mainly for 'reported speech'

- there is no special colloquial word for that 'action' - if I myself do it (promise/swear/ …) - directly. From the first (my ) person.

(I ask about that because in Russian we have the word and sometimes I need it )
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

The "be going to future" came to mind because you'd often use that to talk about a decision you've made (in this case a resolution).

I can imagine the word swear or maybe swear off being used but not any of the others you mentioned. At least not in any common way. They would be used in other ways.

But, maybe somebody else will come up with something. I just can't think of anything else at the moment that would fit the situation you're describing.

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English