Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 38

Thread: The difference between 'sat' and 'sitting' explained.

  1. #1
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    137
    Rep Power
    14

    The difference between 'sat' and 'sitting' explained.

    Ok.

    I am English and I always have got this one confused, along with a load of other people. The amount of Enlish people who may say this:

    "I was sat on the chair when the TV broke"

    Now this is probably incorrect. If you were 'sat' on the chair, then this means that a person personally placed you there (like an usher at the theatre may do). What should be written is:

    "I was sitting on the chair when the TV broke"

    EDIT: Just to add to this - You could say I sat on the chair when the TV broke as this would mean that you yourself sat down as opposed to someone else sitting you down.

    Hope that helps anyone who has gotten confused about the difference before - although if you said it, everyone would understand you, and 99.9% of people would not pick you up about it - although my Dad would!

    Andy
    My new website is http://www.computer-tutorials.org/New_site/

    If anyone could help with translations or audio recording please email me!

  2. #2
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Sunnyvale, Cali
    Posts
    5,771
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: The difference between 'sat' and 'sitting' explained.

    Quote Originally Posted by andrewsco
    Ok.

    I am English and I always have got this one confused, along with a load of other people. The amount of Enlish people who may say this:

    "I was sat on the chair when the TV broke"
    Dude, NOBODY says that. It rings all bells, whistles and inflatable duckies. Even foreigners don't make that mistake!

    BTW, shouldn't this be in ESL or English for Russians?
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  3. #3
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mowcow, Russia
    Posts
    1,957
    Rep Power
    15

  4. #4
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    las vegas
    Posts
    1,687
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: The difference between 'sat' and 'sitting' explained.

    Quote Originally Posted by andrewsco
    "I was sat on the chair when the TV broke"
    I do not care if this is a British thing or not. It sounds terrible.
    Какая разница, умереть богатым или бедным?

    Какой толк от богатства если ты не счастлив.

  5. #5
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    What about trainers? In BrE that means sneakers. Canadiens usually say running shoes. Different countries, different words/grammar.

    Hope that helps anyone who has gotten confused about the difference before - although if you said it, everyone would understand you, and 99.9% of people would not pick you up about it - although my Dad would!
    I think you mean that 99.9% of the British people would understand you if you said "I was sat on the chair".
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  6. #6
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Seventh
    Posts
    4,113
    Rep Power
    18
    Quote Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
    What about trainers? In BrE that means sneakers. Canadiens usually say running shoes. Different countries, different words/grammar.

    Hope that helps anyone who has gotten confused about the difference before - although if you said it, everyone would understand you, and 99.9% of people would not pick you up about it - although my Dad would!
    I think you mean that 99.9% of the British people would understand you if you said "I was sat on the chair".
    No, all English speakers would understand it. It is obvious what the person is saying. But most would also recognise that it is gramatically incorrect.

    Where I am from (Essex in England), loads of (poor stupid) people say things like "I see you yesterday". They shouldn't let people like that breed.
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  7. #7
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    I didn't say that only the British people would understand it. I remember Americans and the British arguing over whether it is possible to say: I haven't seen him since two months ago. Most of them came to the conclusion that it was grammatically correct though none of them would say so.
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  8. #8
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
    I didn't say that only the British people would understand it. I remember Americans and the British arguing over whether it is possible to say: I haven't seen him since two months ago. Most of them came to the conclusion that it was grammatically correct though none of them would say so.
    what is exactly the problem with that phrase, btw?
    there are some other cases in other languages when commonplace expressions are considered ungrammatical; imo it's just the case of the norms lagging behind the language. phrases like "Ms. Jones and me" are another example...
    in russian we have this too; for ex. the word "netu" is a case of this...

    BTW, a question to the native English speakers: does a phrase "I'm going there tomorrow" sound weird or ungrammatical to any of you?

  9. #9
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/sh...ghlight=months
    You can read the whole discussion if you want. It's pretty long so it'll take me long to tell you it.
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  10. #10
    JB
    JB is offline
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Dmitrov
    Posts
    879
    Rep Power
    14
    Please explain "netu" to me. It drives me crazy when I hear it because my dictionary says it is colloq. for "nyet" but people seem to use it a negative response in place of a lot of words and phrases.
    i.e. "Who was at the door?" "Netu."
    "What did you buy at the store?" "Netu."
    Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

  11. #11
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    Your sentences are incorrect. I have never heard anyone say so. I would say:
    "Who was at the door?" "Nikto" (or Nikavo)
    "What did you buy at the store?" "Nichego"
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  12. #12
    JB
    JB is offline
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Dmitrov
    Posts
    879
    Rep Power
    14
    I know the sentences have incorrect answers and that is what confuses me. It seems "netu" is popping up in all sorts of inappropriate places. I frequently hear it used this way and am wondering if this is some sort of "new slang" or maybe a regional (Moscow) thing?
    Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

  13. #13
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
    http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/sh...ghlight=months
    You can read the whole discussion if you want. It's pretty long so it'll take me long to tell you it.
    it looks like the ultimate in nitpicking to me. Normal, educated people do speak like that, and that's all that matters, imo. Plus, "two months ago" is quite a definite point in time, no less definite than Christmas.

  14. #14
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by JB
    I know the sentences have incorrect answers and that is what confuses me. It seems "netu" is popping up in all sorts of inappropriate places. I frequently hear it used this way and am wondering if this is some sort of "new slang" or maybe a regional (Moscow) thing?
    It's definitely not a Moscow thing.
    But it's colloquial for "No, there is/are none", or the like. Like, "u tebja est' den'gi? -- Netu" ("do you have any money? -- No, I don't (have any)"). As opposed to the (supposedly more literate) "u tebja est' den'gi? -- Net" (--"No."), which in this case is just a negative answer to the question and sounds a bit more abrupt to me. Sometimes its just interchangeable without any changes in meaning, e.g. "esli u vas netu doma" (if you don't have a home).
    So it refers to the rejection of existence (and other things that are expressed through expressions of existence in Russian, like possession as in this example).

    BTW, do you have any comments on my "I'm going there tomorrow" phrase by any chance?

  15. #15
    JB
    JB is offline
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Dmitrov
    Posts
    879
    Rep Power
    14
    "I'm going there tomorrow." Is not incorrect in American speech, but may get a red mark from an English teacher if it appeared on a written assignment (present and future tense used inappropliately together). But it is common to see such usage in newspapers and TV because these are presented in the everyday language of the public.
    Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

  16. #16
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by JB
    "I'm going there tomorrow." Is not incorrect in American speech, but may get a red mark from an English teacher if it appeared on a written assignment (present and future tense used inappropliately together). But it is common to see such usage in newspapers and TV because these are presented in the everyday language of the public.
    well, that's what I always thought, but I was corrected once so I started having doubts. Probably the person was just nitpicking.
    I actually think I did see this even in one of my old English language textbooks.

  17. #17
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    it looks like the ultimate in nitpicking to me. Normal, educated people do speak like that, and that's all that matters, imo. Plus, "two months ago" is quite a definite point in time, no less definite than Christmas.
    I can't get what you mean. Can you clarify your claim?
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  18. #18
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
    it looks like the ultimate in nitpicking to me. Normal, educated people do speak like that, and that's all that matters, imo. Plus, "two months ago" is quite a definite point in time, no less definite than Christmas.
    I can't get what you mean. Can you clarify your claim?
    I simply claim that this phrase is just fine, and there are no problems with it except in the mind of a few select grammaticians

  19. #19
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Residing in an unknown place
    Posts
    1,400
    Rep Power
    14
    Well, to be honest, I prefer native speakers' answers. If you haven't got the time to read the whole discussion or at least part of it to get what makes English speakers think this sentence is not grammatical, you then will always think it's entirely correct. That's my point.
    Furthermore, I'd say that sentence of yours was correct too. At least, for the British In AmE I'd say I'm going to go there tomorrow.
    I think we should move this thread to "English for Russians".
    "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read"
    Mark Twain
    American author/essayist (1835-1910)
    WHSmith

  20. #20
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by ReDSanchous
    Well, to be honest, I prefer native speakers' answers. If you haven't got the time to read the whole discussion or at least part of it to get what makes English speakers think this sentence is not grammatical, you then will always think it's entirely correct. That's my point.
    Furthermore, I'd say that sentence of yours was correct too. At least, for the British In AmE I'd say I'm going to go there tomorrow.
    I think we should move this thread to "English for Russians".
    My understanding was that there were native speakers on the both sides of the issue in that thread; if that is not the case I'll have to retract my words.

    btw I think "I'm going to go..." is 100% formal and correct by any standard in any variety of English; without "to go" it's probably colloquial but still fine to use, imo.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Russian grammar explained through English grammar book?
    By ndemeis in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: October 15th, 2009, 06:02 PM
  2. What's the Very Difference Here?
    By Culturist in forum Polish
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: September 4th, 2008, 09:05 PM
  3. Is there a difference
    By Ramil in forum Learn English - Грамматика, переводы, словарный запас
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: January 28th, 2008, 09:28 PM
  4. The difference?
    By Matryoshka in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: September 24th, 2007, 07:27 PM
  5. can anyone tell me the difference
    By Орчун in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: April 4th, 2006, 03:54 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary