Forum newsfeeds |  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
18-Oct-2006, 23:34
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
Posts: 1,881
Current Location: China First Language: Chinese Thanks: 174
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Comprehension Dear teachers,
I don't quite understand the following two sentences. Could you please kindly explain them to me?
No.1
The least I can do is to drive everybody else closer to the issue.
No.2
It's very common for new fathers to be jealous after the birth of a baby.
'jealous' according to my dictionary means 'unhappy and slightly angry because you wish you had someone else's qualities, advantages or success'. I think a father should feel happy instead of 'jealous'.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang | 
19-Oct-2006, 00:15
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang Dear teachers,
I don't quite understand the following two sentences. Could you please kindly explain them to me?
No.1
The least I can do is to drive everybody else closer to the issue.
No.2
It's very common for new fathers to be jealous after the birth of a baby.
'jealous' according to my dictionary means 'unhappy and slightly angry because you wish you had someone else's qualities, advantages or success'. I think a father should feel happy instead of 'jealous'.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.
Jiang | 1. "The least I can do" acknowledges that the action is unlikely to make a huge impact, but the speaker still feels that it is necessary. In this case, the speaker doesn't think he can get everyone to agree on a solution, but he may be able to get them to notice the problem.
2. A father can be jealous because the baby is consuming his wife's attention and affection. | 
19-Oct-2006, 00:28
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
Posts: 1,881
Current Location: China First Language: Chinese Thanks: 174
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Dear Mike,
I understand No.1.
No.2 is beyond me. I think parents love their children. Why doesn't new mother feel jealous but new fathers are?
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork 1. "The least I can do" acknowledges that the action is unlikely to make a huge impact, but the speaker still feels that it is necessary. In this case, the speaker doesn't think he can get everyone to agree on a solution, but he may be able to get them to notice the problem.
2. A father can be jealous because the baby is consuming his wife's attention and affection. | | 
19-Oct-2006, 00:31
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
Posts: 1,881
Current Location: China First Language: Chinese Thanks: 174
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Oh, is this cultural difference? My parents love me very much. I don't see my father is jealous when I was born because he always tells me how happy he was when I was born.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork 1. "The least I can do" acknowledges that the action is unlikely to make a huge impact, but the speaker still feels that it is necessary. In this case, the speaker doesn't think he can get everyone to agree on a solution, but he may be able to get them to notice the problem.
2. A father can be jealous because the baby is consuming his wife's attention and affection. | | 
19-Oct-2006, 00:41
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Country: Saudi Arabia
Posts: 18
Current Location: Qatif First Language: Arabic Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang No.2
It's very common for new fathers to be jealous after the birth of a baby.
'jealous' according to my dictionary means 'unhappy and slightly angry because you wish you had someone else's qualities, advantages or success'. I think a father should feel happy instead of 'jealous'. | well, take these definitions of jealous: jeal‧ous /"dželës/ 1 feeling angry and unhappy because someone has something that you wish you had jealous of e.g. Why are you so jealous of his success? e.g. You're just jealous of her. ! Do not say 'jealous about' someone or something or 'jealous with' someone. Say jealous of someone or something. 2 feeling angry and unhappy because someone you like or love is showing interest in another person, or another person is showing interest in them: ---> e.g. She gets jealous if I even look at another woman. e.g. He was talking to Nina to make me jealous. jealous husband/wife/lover etc 3 jealous of something formal wanting to keep or protect something that you have because you are proud of it: e.g. a country jealous of its heritage Good Luck | 
19-Oct-2006, 00:58
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
Posts: 1,881
Current Location: China First Language: Chinese Thanks: 174
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Hi,
Thank you very much for your correction.
To be jealous of other people is easy to understand. But to be jeaous of one's baby is not easy to understand.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by Fitness Lover well, take these definitions of jealous: jeal‧ous /"dželës/ 1 feeling angry and unhappy because someone has something that you wish you had jealous of e.g. Why are you so jealous of his success? e.g. You're just jealous of her. ! Do not say 'jealous about' someone or something or 'jealous with' someone. Say jealous of someone or something. 2 feeling angry and unhappy because someone you like or love is showing interest in another person, or another person is showing interest in them: ---> e.g. She gets jealous if I even look at another woman. e.g. He was talking to Nina to make me jealous. jealous husband/wife/lover etc 3 jealous of something formal wanting to keep or protect something that you have because you are proud of it: e.g. a country jealous of its heritage Good Luck | | 
19-Oct-2006, 01:31
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Country: Saudi Arabia
Posts: 18
Current Location: Qatif First Language: Arabic Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang Hi,
Thank you very much for your correction.
To be jealous of other people is easy to understand. But to be jeaous of one's baby is not easy to understand.
Jiang |
You are welcome  | 
19-Oct-2006, 08:12
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: May 2006 Country: Belarus
Posts: 1,335
First Language: Russian Thanks: 0
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Hi, Jiang,
After the birth of a baby mothers give all their love, attention and time to it. Some husbands (I think , actually, very few of them) feel deprived of TLC they used to have. The child has stolen it, that's why they are jealous.
Cheers | 
19-Oct-2006, 08:52
| | Key Member | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Country: China
Posts: 1,881
Current Location: China First Language: Chinese Thanks: 174
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Dear Humble,
I seems to understand what you explained. He is jealous because it seems his wife loves their baby more than she loves him. That's funny.
Jiang Quote:
Originally Posted by Humble Hi, Jiang,
After the birth of a baby mothers give all their love, attention and time to it. Some husbands (I think , actually, very few of them) feel deprived of TLC they used to have. The child has stolen it, that's why they are jealous.
Cheers | | 
19-Oct-2006, 23:06
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
Current Location: New York First Language: American English Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
| | Re: Comprehension Quote:
Originally Posted by jiang Dear Mike,
I understand No.1.
No.2 is beyond me. I think parents love their children. Why doesn't new mother feel jealous but new fathers are?
Jiang | To explain the difference between men and women would require several volumes. The easy answer is "hormones". Mothers under the influense of certain hormones become completely enraptured by babies. Men's hormones don't change just because of the delivery. They love the child but often they feel neglected by the wife. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 10:46. |  |