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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'



 
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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Need comma help: They walk out on deck and carry small gages | Grammar check: Personal introduction...
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 16:47 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Hello,

1.Malaysian have the tendency to use 'discuss' with 'about'. To a native speaker, does this sound redundant?

We were discussing...
We were discussing about...

2. I always hear moms in Malaysia say "Wait!Wait!Wait!" when stopping their children from pursuing something. Again, how does this sound to a native?Shouldn't it be, "Wait up!" or "Hold on!"?

Thank you in advance.
Nina
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 17:25 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Hi Nina

The word 'discuss' should be used without the preposition 'about'. It seems to me that ESL students tend to mistakenly use 'discuss about' mainly because we do say 'talk about'.

I see nothing wrong with saying "Wait!" but your description does sound as though "Stop!" might be more (or at least just as) appropriate.

I'd use "Wait up" informally, for example, if I wanted some friends to stop walking temporarily so that I could catch up with them (i.e. so that we could all continue walking together).

"Hold on" can be used in a variety of situations to ask someone to pause or wait. You often hear this in telephoning situations, for example. To me, 'Hold on' often has the sense of 'Please wait while I do something else'.

Hope that helps.

Amy
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 17:59 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Yankee wrote:
Hi Nina

The word 'discuss' should be used without the preposition 'about'. It seems to me that ESL students tend to mistakenly use 'discuss about' mainly because we do say 'talk about'.

I thought the same too but always thought it was just a matter of opinion. Now I know for sure it's a rule.

Yankee wrote:
I see nothing wrong with saying "Wait!" but your description does sound as though "Stop!" might be more (or at least just as) appropriate.

Oh, okay! Anyway I usually say 'nothing is wrong', is that okay?

Thanks Amy!
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:19 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

NinaZara wrote:
Oh, okay! Anyway I usually say 'nothing is wrong', is that okay?

You can say, for example:

Nothing is wrong with saying ...
-or-
There is nothing wrong with saying ...
-or-
I see nothing wrong with saying ...

Amy
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:22 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Putting 'is' is already a habit of mine but I think the last one sounds cool Cool

Thank you very much, Amy.
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:37 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Hi Nina

These two expressions have different meanings:

1. I see nothing wrong with doing ...

2. I see nothing is wrong with doing ...

In my opinion, the difference is more or less as follows:

(1) This is my opinion. I cannot discern a problem.
(2) It has been decided (probably by someone else) that there is not a problem and I see (notice) the fact that this has already been decided.

Amy
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:55 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Hmm, would it be the same without 'I see'?

1. Nothing wrong with... (I feel something lacking but will it still deliver 'This is my opinion' meaning to it?)

2. Nothing is wrong with...(Sounds ok to me but other than the 'has been decided' meaning, can it also deliver 'This is my opinion'? meaning to it)

Thanks again, Amy for taking the trouble to be as detailed as you can.
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NinaZara
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Fri Mar 09, 2007 19:12 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Hi Nina

Maybe it would also be helpful to look at the two versions this way:

I see nothing (that is) wrong with ...
I see (that) nothing is wrong with ...

The difference is subtle, but for me it's definitely a difference.

Amy
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Sat Mar 10, 2007 0:06 am  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Oh I am getting so interested in this talking! I began to see the light at the end of a tunnel with:

Yankee wrote:
I see nothing (that is) wrong with ...
I see (that) nothing is wrong with ...

But I'd like to ask a further question on the first example. Is it possible or not to consider the verb see carrying both an object and an objective complement so that the sentence could also be described as: I see nothing (as) wrong with ... or I see nothing (as a) wrong (thing) with ... ?

Many thanks in advance.

Haihao
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Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!' Sat Mar 10, 2007 14:17 pm  Expression: 'Discuss about' and 'wait!'
 

Yankee wrote:
Hi Nina

Maybe it would also be helpful to look at the two versions this way:

I see nothing (that is) wrong with ...
I see (that) nothing is wrong with ...

The difference is subtle, but for me it's definitely a difference.

Amy

I took a little time more to comprehend the first but yes, I do see the difference Amy.

Thanks!

p/s Haihao: I don't think I speak your language this time Crying or Very sad I'm eager to know the teachers' comment thou.
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