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#2 (permalink) Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:23 am Borrow vs. lend |
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Hi USA speaker of English,
You said:
Quote: | For speakers of USA English the idiom is 'every little bit'. Consequently an American English speaker might assume that 'borrow' might be idiomatic in UK English. Also 'borrow' is correct if the intention of 'I' is to borrow money and give the proceeds to 'you.' |
You make some unusual assumptions. If I understand it, you are saying that you would say: every little bit helps. Fine, I could say every little bit helps, too. The point is I said every little helps. I don't really see there is a divide here between this distinction between what you say and what I say. You then claim that: Quote: | I can borrow you a little money if you like because as they say, every little helps. | means I can borrow for you .... I don't find this very plausible.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#3 (permalink) Mon May 17, 2010 1:07 am Borrow vs. lend |
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good point english speaker |
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Nabilchamlal I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 02 May 2010 Posts: 111
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#4 (permalink) Mon May 17, 2010 7:07 am Borrow vs. lend |
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What's so good about it?
borrow - from someone else lend - to someone else.
borrow from someone to lend to someone else is: The sentence would have to read "I can borrow money for you..." not "I can borrow you money." _________________ "Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened."
Terry Pratchett |
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Beeesneees Language Coach

Joined: 08 Apr 2010 Posts: 39144 Location: UK, born and bred
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#5 (permalink) Mon May 17, 2010 8:42 am Borrow vs. lend |
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Hi Nabilchamlal,
I've heard of a delayed reaction but 4 years takes some beating. Tell me in what way you support comments made by USA speaker of English 4 years ago.
Alan _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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#6 (permalink) Mon May 17, 2010 12:17 pm Borrow vs. lend |
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I think that -for- somehow delays time, suppose that someone is near and you are asking money for him, in this case you don’t need to add for because its simultaneous action. Alan I think that is not me who gives the beat it’s the time. |
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Nabilchamlal I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 02 May 2010 Posts: 111
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#7 (permalink) Mon May 17, 2010 12:26 pm Borrow vs. lend |
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Hi Nabilchamlal,
'I can borrow you money' even after 4 years still sounds wonky to me whatever the situation. 'I can lend you money' sounds all right because 'you' becomes the natural indirect object with 'to' understood. Since this doesn't apply to 'borrow', which is naturally associated with 'from', I feel you would say: I can borrow money for you.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Passive Voice |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 17284 Location: UK
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Contemptuous vs. contemptible | make vs. do |