Day / Date

[Casiopea]

Frankly, I thought that "Thurs-theory" is insane!

Originally Thursday was Thor's Day, which later on became a compound. I don't know if speakers today view the days of the week as compound forms, but historically Thursday was an adjective+noun structure, and hence the use of an interrogative adjective.

What day? Thursday. (interrogative adjective)

An interrogative adjective may look like an interrogative pronoun, but it is used differently in the sentence: it is an adjective, used to modify a noun or pronoun, whereas an interrogative pronoun is used to represent a noun.

Interrogative Adjective: 'What' modifies 'day' (modification)
What day is it? It is Thursday (historically, Thor's Day).

Interrogative pronoun: 'What' stands for 'date' (replacement)
What is the date? The date is November 21st. (Predicate nominative, not adjectival)

*What date is it? (Interrogative pronoun)
Error: Structural
There are two subjects. What stands for 'date'; e.g., *Who John is it?

Repair: What is the date? (What = the date)

*What date is it? (Interrogative adjective)
Error: Semantics
What modifies 'date', giving *What kind of date is it? November 21st is not a kind of date. It is a date.

Repair: What is the date. (What = the date)

[jack]

What do these mean?

1. You can get the car on Monday.
2. You can get the car on Mondays.
3. You can get the car on a Monday.

[Casiopea]

1. You can get the car on Monday. (The very next Monday)
2. You can get the car on Mondays. (Any Monday)
3. You can get the car on a Monday. (Any Monday)

[jack]

Thanks.

So these are synonymous?
1. You can get the car on Mondays.
2. You can get the car on a Monday.

Or does #1 mean that you can get the car every monday? And #2 means that you can get the car on one monday? How do you know what they mean?

Is #3 incorrect?
3. How do you know what do they mean?
4. How do you know what they mean?

[blacknomi]

Originally Thursday was Thor's Day, which later on became a compound. I don't know if speakers today view the days of the week as compound forms, but historically Thursday was an adjective+noun structure, and hence the use of an interrogative adjective.

What day? Thursday. (interrogative adjective)

An interrogative adjective may look like an interrogative pronoun, but it is used differently in the sentence: it is an adjective, used to modify a noun or pronoun, whereas an interrogative pronoun is used to represent a noun.

Interrogative Adjective: 'What' modifies 'day' (modification)
What day is it? It is Thursday (historically, Thor's Day).

Interrogative pronoun: 'What' stands for 'date' (replacement)
What is the date? The date is November 21st. (Predicate nominative, not adjectival)

*What date is it? (Interrogative pronoun)
Error: Structural
There are two subjects. What stands for 'date'; e.g., *Who John is it?

Repair: What is the date? (What = the date)

*What date is it? (Interrogative adjective)
Error: Semantics
What modifies 'date', giving *What kind of date is it? November 21st is not a kind of date. It is a date.

Repair: What is the date. (What = the date)

I ask my best friend, Google, to search "What date is it." Here's an interesting link I think it might be authoratative.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primary...on_flash.shtml

Is it okay in BE?!

[blacknomi]

Thanks.

So these are synonymous?
1. You can get the car on Mondays.
2. You can get the car on a Monday.

Or does #1 mean that you can get the car every monday? And #2 means that you can get the car on one monday? How do you know what they mean?

Is #3 incorrect?
3. How do you know what do they mean?
4. How do you know what they mean?

1- Not exactly every monday. It could be every Monday or it could be some Mondays.
2- Yes, on a certain Monday. It is said that The Museum of Modern Art is going to reopen on a Monday. It means we are not sure of which Monday.

3.- wrong
4.- correct. When a clause with a "wh-Question Word" is embedded within a bigger clause, the sequence of the subject and the axiliary or the verb need to be changed.


* marks ungrammaticality
Direct Speech: What do they mean?
*Reported Speech: How do you know what they do mean?
Reported Speech: How do you know what they mean? ( "do" has to leave)

[jack]

Thanks.

[blacknomi]

No problem!