Thread: Let anyone have their own ways

Originally Posted by Deborski

Вот это да!

Исправьте меня если я ошибаюсь, но эта фраза в самом деле значит "wow" как "ничего себе". Деб использает её означать "that's for sure"-- можно так?

Efremova (Russian Explanatory Dictionary)
вот это да
межд. разг.
Возглас при выражении изумления или удивления на неожиданное сообщение или на неожиданно совершившееся событие; вот так да, вот так так.


Или более определения есть?

Stereotypes are slowly being ruined*

The word ruined seems a bit off, it's mostly used to express negative thoughts, i.e. "you ruined my life!"
Since it's a good thing that stereotypes are vanishing, better say:
Stereotypes are slowly disintegrating.
Stereotypes are slowly being cast away.
Stereotypes are slowly dying out.

That goes for

I think your president being Afro-American is a great thing that helps ruin them.

I think your president being Afro-American is a great thing that helps disintegrating them.
I think your president being Afro-American is a great thing that helps disproving them.

Originally Posted by Valda

Исправьте меня если я ошибаюсь, но эта фраза в самом деле значит "wow" как "ничего себе". Деб использает её означать "that's for sure"-- можно так?

Efremova (Russian Explanatory Dictionary)
вот это да
межд. разг.
Возглас при выражении изумления или удивления на неожиданное сообщение или на неожиданно совершившееся событие; вот так да, вот так так.

Или более определения есть?

I think Efremova’ definition is full. If Deb’s meaning was "that's for sure" she should have gone with “точно”, “это точно”, “это верно”, “это правильно”, “совершенно верно”, “вот именно”.

Originally Posted by Valda

The word ruined seems a bit off, it's mostly used to express negative thoughts, i.e. "you ruined my life!"]

It’s a good remark for me. I guess I would never feel the difference by myself.

Originally Posted by Valda

Stereotypes are slowly being ruined.!"

I understand the difference between “are ruined” and ”are being ruined”. Actually I meant that it was characteristic of all stereotypes to be cast away slowly, irrelative of their existence in the past, present or future.
Is it possible that I used the correct grammar form with my meaning?

Originally Posted by Valda

...helps disintegrating them...

Help + gerund... Hmm. It’s new to me, too. My grammar guide must be too old.
Is "helps to disintegrate" possible, too?

Originally Posted by Helenej

Help + gerund... Hmm. It’s new to me, too. My grammar guide must be too old.
Is "helps to disintegrate" possible, too?

Maybe "destroy" would be a better word, "Helps to destroy them."

Originally Posted by kgcole

Maybe "destroy" would be a better word, "Helps to destroy them."

Ok, Kevin. Thank you.
Nevertheless, "helps to destroy" or "helps destroying" in this particular sentence?

Originally Posted by Helenej

Ok, Kevin. Thank you.
Nevertheless, "helps to destroy" or "helps destroying" in this particular sentence?

Sure...probably several words could be used there. You not bad with the conjugations, so your choice

Originally Posted by kgcole

Sure...probably several words could be used there. You not bad with the conjugations, so your choice

It is not a matter of conjugations. Yet if both are possible then the difference is described by the well-known rule.
As an object, the infinitive refers to a specific occasion of a specific instance, whereas the gerund refers to something that is more general.

Originally Posted by Helenej

It is not a matter of conjugations. Yet if both are possible then the difference is described by the well-known rule.
As an object, the infinitive refers to a specific occasion of a specific instance, whereas the gerund refers to something that is more general.

As is most often the case, you'd have to write the sentence out in completion to see how it should change given each case.
I think your president, being Afro-American, is a great thing that helps to destroy them.
I think your president, being Afro-American, is a great thing that helps with destroying them.