the crying baby was contented with his mother's comfort

[angliholic]

At last, the crying baby was contented with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.
At last, the crying baby was content with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.



Do both of the above sound right and convey the same idea? If not, why not? Thanks.

[RonBee]

At last, the crying baby was contented with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.
At last, the crying baby was content with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.



Do both of the above sound right and convey the same idea? If not, why not? Thanks.

Neither of them work there. If the baby was crying it obviously was not content. Perhaps the baby was calmed by its mother.

If you insist upon using content or contented you will have to rework the sentence. Perhaps:

He was content to sleep on the couch all day.

[angliholic]

Neither of them work there. If the baby was crying it obviously was not content. Perhaps the baby was calmed by its mother.


If you insist upon using content or contented you will have to rework the sentence. Perhaps:

He was content to sleep on the couch all day.

Thanks, Ronbee.
I think your suggestions make more sense than the base sentences.
Just to make sure, is the following all right and interchangeable with your version?

He was contentented/content to sleep on the couch all day.

[RonBee]

Thanks, Ronbee.
I think your suggestions make more sense than the base sentences.
Just to make sure, is the following all right and interchangeable with your version?

He was contentented/content to sleep on the couch all day.

As you can imagine, the two words (content, contented) are not used the same way. Off the top of my head, it is content to and contented with. I do not suggest that you accept my opinion as the last word on the matter. (I could be wrong. I've been wrong before. )

~R

[fiona bramble]

At last, the crying baby was contented with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.
At last, the crying baby was content with his mother's comfort and fell asleep.



Do both of the above sound right and convey the same idea? If not, why not? Thanks.

Hey there you two, just thought I'd add that:
At last, the crying baby was contented with his mother's comfort and fell asleep
makes sense to me only in the passive with "by" (contented by)
The second sentence just doesn't make sense to me because "the mother's comfort" without the passive connotation could be a comfort completely unconnected to the baby (although, of course, we can figure it out from context). It simply seems awkward.

I think perhaps because "comfort" is an abstract noun, the "by" (and passive -ed link) somehow creates a sense of the action and concrete-ness of the comfort...

Ok, I'm tired. I know that sounds a little flaky

Fiona

[angliholic]

Thanks, Ron and Fiona.