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Old 21-Nov-2003, 07:34
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Default Nuance of "be willing to do something"???

I read an explanation on the meaning of "be willing to do something." It says that the phrase has a nusance that the people don't care of the results... I mean when we say "I am willing to do the work," it means, according to the explanation, that whether I do the work or not, I don't care the result. Is that right??

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Old 21-Nov-2003, 19:21
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"I am willing to do the work" does not mean to me that the speaker does not care about the result. The words do not suggest that.
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Old 21-Nov-2003, 19:28
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Default Re: Nuance of "be willing to do something"???

Quote:
Originally Posted by pb
I read an explanation on the meaning of "be willing to do something." It says that the phrase has a nusance that the people don't care of the results... I mean when we say "I am willing to do the work," it means, according to the explanation, that whether I do the work or not, I don't care the result. Is that right??

Thanks!
I agree with Ron.

Sometimes, that phrase is followed by a "but" which is some condition.

I am willing to do the work, but I'll nedd more equipment.
I am willing to do the work, but I want overtime pay.

None of this means that the worker doesn't care about the results.
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Old 21-Nov-2003, 22:52
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I'll third that. In spoken English, intonation could convey a number of meanings.
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