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  #1  
Old 31-May-2007, 09:05
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Default How they feel

Shy students are often oversensitive. When they enter a room full of strangers, they think everone is looking at them. In fact, most of these stragers are thinking about themselves, about how they look and how they feel.

I would like to ask you about the part how they feel. Which does it mean in this case, how others feel about them or how they themselves feel? I think the latter. I think this "the subject feel an adjective" can be ambiguous as this towel feels soft. In this case, the towel itself doesn't feel soft about itself. But about I feel good by J.B , is it I myself and someone too feel good like the towel?
How can you understandt the difference correctly?

Thank you very much.
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Old 31-May-2007, 09:17
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svartnik is a name known to allsvartnik is a name known to allsvartnik is a name known to allsvartnik is a name known to allsvartnik is a name known to allsvartnik is a name known to all
Default Re: How they feel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Progress View Post
Shy students are often oversensitive. When they enter a room full of strangers, they think everone is looking at them. In fact, most of these stragers are thinking about themselves, about how they look and how they feel.

I would like to ask you about the part how they feel. Which does it mean in this case, how others feel about them or how they themselves feel? I think the latter. I think this "the subject feel an adjective" can be ambiguous as this towel feels soft. In this case, the towel itself doesn't feel soft about itself. But about I feel good by J.B , is it I myself and someone too feel good like the towel?
How can you understandt the difference correctly?

Thank you very much.
feel used ergatively IMO.
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Old 31-May-2007, 11:24
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Default Re: How they feel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Progress
I would like to ask you about the part how they feel. Which does it mean in this case, how others feel about them or how they themselves feel? I think the latter.
You're right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Progress
I think this "the subject feel an adjective" can be ambiguous as this towel feels soft. In this case, the towel itself doesn't feel soft about itself. But about I feel good by J.B , is it I myself and someone too feel good like the towel? How can you understandt the difference correctly?
If feel is stative and its subject is [+animate] (i.e., a sentient being), it means to experience or undergo an emotional sensation.

Stative
Animate: I wonder how they feel.
Inanimate: I wonder how this towel feels. (i.e., it experiences or undergoes an emotional sensation)

Does that help?
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Old 31-May-2007, 12:08
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Default Re: How they feel

Yes, Casiopea, it does very much Thank you very much.

Thanks Svartnik
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Old 31-May-2007, 12:31
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Default Re: How they feel

You're welcome.
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