See you later

[dinha]

When the speaker after a conversation says: " So, I will see you later!" his tone of voice was emphatic the sentence does not mean only bye right ?
The speaker used the words so and will in the sentence which by my understanding means that the person expects to see the person addressed soon. Am I correct ?

Thanks!

[mykwyner]

No, not necessarily. In the dialects of American English that I am familiar with, "[I will] see you later" is sort of a modern way of saying, "Until we meet again." You wouldn't normally say, "I'll see you later," to a ticket agent or a taxi driver whom you'd never expect to see again, but if you did, it wouldn't be considered odd. It is perfectly natural to say, "See you later," to someone you expect to see again, even if you only see them once every couple of years.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by dinha

When the speaker after a conversation says: " So, I will see you later!" his tone of voice was emphatic the sentence does not mean only bye right ?
The speaker used the words so and will in the sentence which by my understanding means that the person expects to see the person addressed soon. Am I correct ?

Thanks!

I think you are, Dinha, if I read you correctly. With the addition of 'so' and 'will' and a change in emphasis, the sentence doesn't, IMHO, mean 'bye' or 'catch you again'. It means, "I expect to see you sometime later".

[dinha]

Originally Posted by riverkid

I think you are, Dinha, if I read you correctly. With the addition of 'so' and 'will' and a change in emphasis, the sentence doesn't, IMHO, mean 'bye' or 'catch you again'. It means, "I expect to see you sometime later".

Thank you so much!!!! Sometime is a not definite time in the future right? can it be that it is certain to happen but not decided when it is going to happen yet ?

What about this sentence: " Look forward to seen him sometime " what does the speaker mean in this sentence?

Thanks again !!!!

[riverkid]

dinha: Thank you so much!!!!

You're welcome, Dinha.

It means, "I expect to see you sometime later".

Sometime is a not definite time in the future right? can it be that it is certain to happen but not decided when it is going to happen yet?


This is a different 'sometime' here. In this example where the person definitely wants to see another it has a slightly different pronunciation, with greater emphasis on 'some',

I expect to see you SOMEtime later".

which gives it a meaning like "some particular time and a sooner rather than a later 'sometime'.


What about this sentence: " Look forward to [seen] seeing him sometime" what does the speaker mean in this sentence?

This is almost certainly a general sometime; at an unspecified and unplanned time in the future.

[curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by dinha

Thank you so much!!!! Sometime is a not definite time in the future right? can it be that it is certain to happen but not decided when it is going to happen yet ?

What about this sentence: " Look forward to seen him sometime " what does the speaker mean in this sentence?

Thanks again !!!!

So, I will see you later! can have different impications. If the emphasis is on you then it could be taken as having a threat attached, or even a promise of a bit of mischief between the two convesants... It could be said lightly, with a smile, meaning to look forward to seeing someone. It could also be a question.

" Look forward to seeing him sometime " means what it says.