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20-Nov-2006, 09:34
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Country: japan
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| |  Help me...
Hello.
Nice to have a chance to ask English questions.
Now,I got a question from the English reading test that I took the other day.
That was about a chinese man who loves american woman.
One day,he tried to tell her that he loves her and wants her to be his girlfriend.
He said in broken English;
"You are a girl I love.You are a girl I'd like to have as my girlfriend."
But she stared at him coldly and walked away...
Many years later,He noticed the mistake that he said"a girl"in stead of"the girl".
I'm just wondering why she got angry to be said "a girl"...
Does it sound strange to native English speakers??
I'm looking forward your answer.
Aki |
20-Nov-2006, 10:10
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
Posts: 6,095
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| |  Re: Help me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by aki  Hello.
Nice to have a chance to ask English questions.
Now,I got a question from the English reading test that I took the other day.
That was about a chinese man who loves american woman.
One day,he tried to tell her that he loves her and wants her to be his girlfriend.
He said in broken English;
"You are a girl I love.You are a girl I'd like to have as my girlfriend."
But she stared at him coldly and walked away...
Many years later,He noticed the mistake that he said"a girl"in stead of"the girl".
I'm just wondering why she got angry to be said "a girl"...
Does it sound strange to native English speakers??
I'm looking forward your answer.
Aki | It is a bit strange, but the mistake in article use should not have provoked anger.
It should be "You are the girl I love. You are the girl I'd like to have as my girlfriend.
If this is a true story, which is doubtful, she may have been annoyed because it was too early in the relationship and he was being too forward.  |
20-Nov-2006, 19:04
|  | Moderator | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Country: USA
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| | Re: Help me...
Speaking from the feminine perspective, I can tell you that she was angry because he said "a" girl, making it sound like she was one among many girls that he loved. "The" girl makes it sound exclusive, as though she would be his one and only.  (Girls are funny that way.....)  |
20-Nov-2006, 19:43
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Country: iraq
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| | Re: Help me...
i agree with ouisch that 'she' had become angree because his statement had meant " that she is any girl or she is one of his girlfriends" |
21-Nov-2006, 00:45
| | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
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| | Re: Help me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ouisch Speaking from the feminine perspective, I can tell you that she was angry because he said "a" girl, making it sound like she was one among many girls that he loved. "The" girl makes it sound exclusive, as though she would be his one and only. (Girls are funny that way.....) | I'll bet she grew up to be a crabby English teacher. |
21-Nov-2006, 07:19
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Country: USA
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| | Re: Help me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork I'll bet she grew up to be a crabby English teacher. |  You forgot old. Old and crabby. |
21-Nov-2006, 07:49
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| | Re: Help me...
|
23-Nov-2006, 11:26
| | Newbie | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Country: japan
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| |  Re: Help me...
thank you for replying;-D
It's all clear.
I'll be careful not to use article wrongly like that.
Anyway,thanks a lot |
24-Nov-2006, 00:22
| | VIP Member | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Country: USA
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| | Re: Help me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by aki thank you for replying;-D
It's all clear.
I'll be careful not to use article wrongly like that.
Anyway,thanks a lot | You're welcome.
True love transcends article use. |
24-Nov-2006, 02:46
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Country: USA
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| | Re: Help me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork You're welcome.
True love transcends article use. |
It helps if the article comes from Tiffany or Cartier. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
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