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 #17 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 13:57 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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These could mean the same, right?
1. You're working late! How could you forget that we're going out to dinner tonight?
2. You're working late! How could you forget about going out to dinner tonight?
1. And you can forget going to that party tonight, young man! I told you that if you didn't do your homework, I wouldn't let you go.
2. And you can forget about going to that party tonight, young man! I told you that if you didn't do your homework, I wouldn't let you go. |
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Molly
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| #18 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 14:21 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Alan wrote: |
| I can't see the 'slight difference' you give in your lengthy answer. |
Does that mean that you can't see any 'slight difference' between your answer and MrP's? Or does that mean you can't see any 'slight difference' between 'forget about' and 'forget'? :?
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee
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| #19 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 22:56 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Haihao wrote: |
How about,
1. "forgot the passport" = "forgot the passport itself"
2. "forgot about the passport" = "forgot the passport thing" |
Hello Haihao,
I think "forgot the passport thing" would be quite an unusual way of putting it; though in some contexts, "forgot the passport business" might convey the same meaning.
All the best,
MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #20 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 22:57 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Molly wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Thus #1 means "to forget X itself"; whereas #2 means "to forget that which relates to X". |
How does that apply here?
A:Thanks for your help.
B: Forget it, it was nothing/Forget about it, it was nothing. |
As I said earlier:
"In some contexts, of course, both are possible."
MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #21 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:01 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Quote: |
As I said earlier:
"In some contexts, of course, both are possible." |
Never thought you were one for partial, incomplete answers. Ah, well. |
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Molly
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| #22 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:02 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Alan wrote: |
Hi,
| Quote: |
| I would look at it slightly differently from Molly and Alan: |
I can't see the 'slight difference' you give in your lengthy answer.
Alan |
Hello Alan,
Molly's response to Jamie K. implies that "forget" and "forget about" are synonymous; while you suggested that "When you add 'about', you are talking more generally to suggest 'dismiss/remove from your memory'".
I would say rather that "forget about X" means "forget that which relates to X".
Three slightly different interpretations.
All the best,
MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #23 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:05 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Quote: |
| Molly's response to Jamie K. implies that "forget" and "forget about" are synonymous; |
Wrong. Molly's reply suggested that the reply Jamie gave was incomplete - just like yours, in fact.
| Quote: |
Jamie:
She forgot her purse. = She forgot to bring her purse with her.
She forgot about her purse. = She forgot that her purse existed or was there. |
| Quote: |
Mr P:
I would say rather that "forget about X" means "forget that which relates to X". |
Not here, right?
| Quote: |
Molly:
A:Thanks for your help.
B: Forget it, it was nothing/Forget about it, it was nothing. |
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Molly
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| #24 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:11 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Molly wrote: |
These could mean the same, right?
1. You're working late! How could you forget that we're going out to dinner tonight?
2. You're working late! How could you forget about going out to dinner tonight?
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Neither sounds entirely natural to me. But yes, in some contexts, the difference between "forget X" and "forget about X" is noticeable only as a very faint nuance.
MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #25 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:12 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Quote: |
Neither sounds entirely natural to me. But yes, in some contexts, the difference between "forget X" and "forget about X" is noticeable only as a very faint nuance.
MrP |
So it's impossible to state that "forget about X" (as opposed to "forget X") means "forget that which relates to X", right?.
And what's the faint nuance here?
A: Thanks for your help.
B: Forget it/Forget about it. |
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Molly
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| #26 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:17 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Molly wrote: |
So it's impossible to state that "forget about X" (as opposed to "forget X") means "forget that which relates to X", right?.
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On the contrary:
| MrPedantic wrote: |
...in some contexts, the difference between "forget X" and "forget about X" is noticeable only as a very faint nuance.
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MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #27 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:19 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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So what would "forget about that which relates to X" mean?
In reality, you meant this 'I would say rather that, in some contexts, "forget about X" means "forget that which relates to X"', right? |
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Molly
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| #28 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:39 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| Molly wrote: |
| So what would "forget about that which relates to X" mean? |
1. Forget about X = forget [that which relates to X].
Let [that which relates to X] = Y.
Then:
2. Forget about Y = forget [that which relates to Y].
MrP |
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MrPedantic
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| #29 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:44 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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| MrPedantic wrote: |
| Molly wrote: |
| So what would "forget about that which relates to X" mean? |
1. Forget about X = forget [that which relates to X].
Let [that which relates to X] = Y.
Then:
2. Forget about Y = forget [that which relates to Y].
MrP |
Fantastic. And what's the faint nuance here?
A: Thanks for your help.
B: Forget it/Forget about it.
You're back to square one, Mr P:
| Quote: |
Hi,
What's the difference between 'forget' and 'forget about'?
Many thanks
Nessie |
Why not go away and think about it for a while? |
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Molly
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| #30 (permalink) Mon May 26, 2008 23:49 pm 'forget' vs 'forget about' |
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Is Mr P saying that "it", in each of these replies, does not relate to the same thing?
Jimmy: Thanks for your help, you two.
Billy: Forget it.
Minnie: Yeah, forget about it. |
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Molly
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| In spite vs inspite of | Grammatically correct? (It is the only reason I stay on here.) |
