mutter and murmur

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
I have two questions to ask:

No.1

They were just __ to each other. I couldn't hear clearly.
a. muttering b. murmuring
The key is 'b'. Could you please explain why 'a' isn't correct?

No.2
Both 'at first' and 'in the first place' mean 'in or at ght beginning'.
When I use 'at first' it is always followed by 'second' 'third' ect. When I use 'in the first place' it can be followed by 'second' etc. and it can be followed by nothing. Is that right? For example,
I have three reasons for not going: first/in the first place....
You should not have bought the bike in the first place. Here I can't use 'at first'. Is that right?


Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[river]

Murmur is "to speak smoothly in a low voice." "There, there," Jan murmured, soothing the child.

Mutter is "to complain in a way that is hard to hear or understand." We usually mutter to ourselves: "I hate homework," Jack muttered as he tried to do it.

[Anglika]

Dear teachers,
I have two questions to ask:

No.1

They were just __ to each other. I couldn't hear clearly.
a. muttering b. murmuring
The key is 'b'. Could you please explain why 'a' isn't correct?

"mutter"• verb 1 say in a barely audible voice.
"murmur"• noun 1 a quietly spoken utterance • verb 1 say something in a murmur.

To me they are pretty much the same, though somehow mutter has a more edgy implication.

No.2
Both 'at first' and 'in the first place' mean 'in or at the beginning'.
When I use 'at first', it is always followed by 'second' 'third' etc. When I use 'in the first place', it can be followed by 'second' etc. or it can be followed by nothing. Is that right? If I follow your reasoning, then yes, it can either be the first in a series or an idiom meaning "in the beginning" For example,
I have three reasons for not going: first/in the first place....
You should not have bought the bike in the first place. Here I can't use 'at first'. Is that right? In this context, yes.


Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[jiang]

Dear river,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.
Best wishes,
Jiang

Murmur is "to speak smoothly in a low voice." "There, there," Jan murmured, soothing the child.

Mutter is "to complain in a way that is hard to hear or understand." We usually mutter to ourselves: "I hate homework," Jack muttered as he tried to do it.

[jiang]

Dear Anglika,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

..

[jiang]

Dear Anglika,
I'd like to make sure if I understand your explanation to my second question.
When you said 'yes' did you mean I can use ' at first' or I can't use 'at first'?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you in advance.

Jiang

..

[Anglika]

You should not have bought the bike in the first place. Here I can't use 'at first'. Is that right? In this context, yes.

Hello, Jiang - you asked "I can't use....is that right?" - the answer is "Yes, you can't use "at first" in your sentence.

[Francois]

Here's my go: you generally mutter so that nobody can (distinctly) hear you, and you murmur so that only your interlocutor can hear you.

[jiang]

Dear Francois,
Thank very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Here's my go: you generally mutter so that nobody can (distinctly) hear you, and you murmur so that only your interlocutor can hear you.