I regret + ing and + to infinitive

[BobK]

'My feeling on "I regret having left" is that it is redundant ...' And my feeling is that it usually is, but might be able in some cases to bear a meaning differing from "I regret leaving"; whatever this meaning may be, though, I can't put my finger on it at the moment. I shall think about it....



b

[queenbu]

O.k.?? Are we all friends again?

I never thought otherwise!

I can't put my finger on it at the moment. I shall think about it....

My feeling on "I regret having left" is that it is redundant (there is something odd about "left" too but I can't put my finger on it!) and unlikely to be uttered by a native speaker.

In another thread

I agree with you, though, there's something rather fishy about c] 'has cooked'. (I don't know what it is at the moment, but I will figure it out. Your point of view is beginning to sway me in another direction. That can wait. It's almost 1:00 a.m. here. Yawn.)

Is there something wrong with me?

[BobK]

I never thought otherwise!
In another thread
Is there something wrong with me?

Of course not, queenbu. It's just that there seems to be a very subtle point here that no one here can be sure of. We're still trying though.... If several linguistically sophisticated native speakers find it difficult, it's no wonder that a language learner has trouble.

b

[BobK]

... We're still trying though.... If several linguistically sophisticated native speakers find it difficult, it's no wonder that a language learner has trouble.

b

On re-reading this, I thought the phrase 'linguistically sophisticated' might seem a bit self-important. Of course people don't need to be 'linguistically sophisticated' in order to have valid native speaker intuitions; my point in using that phrase is that we're practised in trying to describe and communicate those intuitions.

Anyway, mindful of the 'still trying' promise, I've done the attached doodles. I'm not sure I agree with them, but I think they're quite fun anyway [Click on the thumbnails.]

b

PS - These uploads lose a lot of definition in the uploads. You can see them in all their glory at
Regret Leaving
and
Regret Having Left

[queenbu]

On re-reading this, I thought the phrase 'linguistically sophisticated' might seem a bit self-important. Of course people don't need to be 'linguistically sophisticated' in order to have valid native speaker intuitions; my point in using that phrase is that we're practised in trying to describe and communicate those intuitions.
Anyway, mindful of the 'still trying' promise, I've done the attached doodles. I'm not sure I agree with them, but I think they're quite fun anyway [Click on the thumbnails.]
b
PS - These uploads lose a lot of definition in the uploads. You can see them in all their glory at
Regret Leaving
and
Regret Having Left

Hello BobK
Clicking on the thumbnails and clicking on the links give me the same thing. They are very well done, I must say.

I'm not sure I agree with them

I'm sure you don't because that's the way I see it, isn't it? I mean, what you're trying to do is to find out what's wrong with it. I can't really understand why you've done those doodles if they go against what you think.Have I missed something?

[fiona bramble]

Ha! Very cute
I just said to my mother-in-law not five minutes ago "He will hate having turned 2" , referring to my soon-to-be 2 year old's coming of age and the potty training that we will force upon him when he does.
Just throwing it in there!

[queenbu]

:-d

Edit:Thought I'd see the emoticon!

[BobK]

Hello BobK
Clicking on the thumbnails and clicking on the links give me the same thing. They are very well done, I must say.

Silly me. Try this.

I'm sure you don't because that's the way I see it, isn't it? I mean, what you're trying to do is to find out what's wrong with it. I can't really understand why you've done those doodles if they go against what you think.Have I missed something?

No, you haven't. I just wanted to represent a position in this form, so that I can tweak things with Visio (my graphics tool) until it fits with what I think.

b

[queenbu]

Silly me. Try this.

The only difference is that I get them on the same page but never mind, I always get them through very clearly!

so that I can tweak things with Visio (my graphics tool) until it fits with what I think.

OK-keep me informed, please.