Results 1 to 7 of 7
Like Tree4Likes
  • 1 Post By SoothingDave
  • 1 Post By SlickVic9000
  • 1 Post By emsr2d2
  • 1 Post By Rover_KE

Thread: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

  1. #1
    scrooge1974 is offline Junior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Italian
      • Home Country:
      • Italy
      • Current Location:
      • Italy
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    37

    Smile fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    I want to introduce other two terms: fetch and carry.
    Can I use carry, in an interchangeable way, instead of bring and take?
    Is fetch used when you want to synthesize an otherwise long description of an event (i.e:: I go to take a cup of tea and come back)?
    Thank you
    Luigi

  2. #2
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    4,705

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    Dogs play "fetch." You throw a ball or a stick and they run after it and bring it back to you. "Go fetch me a cup of tea" is the kind of thing one might say to a servant. I would not use the term at all, it seems derogatory.
    emsr2d2 likes this.

  3. #3
    SlickVic9000's Avatar
    SlickVic9000 is offline Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    478

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    (Not a Teacher)

    'Fetch' means 'to retrieve'. "I'm going to fetch a cup of coffee."

    'Carry' has meanings that overlap with those of 'bring' and 'take', but I wouldn't think of them as interchangeable.

    Perhaps you could post some examples of how you want to use these terms interchangeably and we could take a look at them.
    5jj likes this.

  4. #4
    emsr2d2 is online now VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • UK
      • Current Location:
      • UK
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    9,032
    Teacher

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    We usually use the term "fetch and carry" in a neutral or negative way.

    Everyone else at the rehearsal got to do fun stuff like building props or sorting out the costumes, but I ended up just fetching and carrying all day. "Go and get the scripts", they said. "Go and make some tea", they said. "Climb up five flights of stairs and get us some paint!" "Run to the shop and buy some sugar!" I was exhausted by the end of the day but I hadn't had much fun.
    Rover_KE likes this.

  5. #5
    Rover_KE is offline VIP Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Retired English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • England
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    6,028
    Teacher

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    To fetch and carry for someone is a set phrase meaning to wait on them hand and foot.

    Rover
    emsr2d2 likes this.

  6. #6
    scrooge1974 is offline Junior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Italian
      • Home Country:
      • Italy
      • Current Location:
      • Italy
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    37
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    some phrases a re such as: I'll fetch a cup of tea to my guest (I take it as well)
    and I carry my baggage (I take my baggage)

  7. #7
    5jj's Avatar
    5jj
    5jj is online now Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • Czech Republic
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    17,017
    Teacher

    Default Re: fetch and carry instead of take and bring

    Quote Originally Posted by scrooge1974 View Post
    I'll fetch a cup of tea to my guest.
    You'll hear that in some varieties of English, but only 'take' in standard BrE.
    I carry my baggage (I take my baggage).
    If you carry your baggage somewhere you could be bringing it or taking it. All you are telling us with 'carry' is that it is you are bearing the weight of it.
    5
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


Similar Threads

  1. [General] diffrence between 'to fetch' and 'to bring'
    By Unregistered in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 14-Mar-2010, 02:15
  2. get vs take vs bring vs fetch
    By majid72 in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-Apr-2009, 03:30
  3. fetch
    By viet_ghat in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 16-Aug-2007, 07:07
  4. carry / bring
    By Lenka in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-Jul-2006, 22:33
  5. bring/carry/take?
    By jvaldelv in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 19-Nov-2003, 16:37

Posting Permissions

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

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0