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Old 26-Jun-2005, 17:33
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Default Another memory lapse?

Could you proofread and correct anything strange, please??


Quote:
Hgiel came to the store to buy some pulltabs. I asked how he's doing, and he said he's happy to became a granddad today, again.

He bought his usual dose of pulltabs, and while he was opening them I asked how many sons and daughters he has. As I asked the question, it got me thinking. What would be the collective word for sons and daughers? I was thinking about it so seriously I was about to post the quesiton to Usingenglish.com forum.
But I then thought I'd try an web-based Korean-English dictionary first, as I knew the equivalent word in Korean. I typed the word and, the resultant word got me laughing and sighing at the same time. Laughing at my silly brain, and sighing at the realization that English hasn't completely sunken in me yet. As you already have guessed, it's the word 'children'.

But then, you know, there may have been a flip side to this. Hgiel told me he has 4 daughters and 3 sons. He just would've said he has seven children if I had remembered the word. Because I asked how many 'sons and daughers' he has, not how many 'children', he gave me more information. It wasn't intentional, but I felt I learned a bit today.
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Old 27-Jun-2005, 02:56
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Default Re: Another memory lapse?

he's happy to became a- happy to have become
hasn't completely sunken in me yet- hasn't completely sunk in yet

There is the formal word 'offspring' (no chnage for the plural), but you wouldn't use it in a situation like this. You might see it on a form.
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Old 27-Jun-2005, 11:43
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Default Re: Another memory lapse?

Thank you very much Tdol.

have become - is this because he became a granddad and will stay that way?
I meant to use 'to become' (became is a typo). Would it sound weird? what would be the difference between 'to have become' and just 'to become'?

Offspring? wouldn't it almost sound offensive in this situation?

and when I wrote "I asked how he's doing...", doesn't it sound like he's had some hard time, like someone close died or something? I meant I said the usual greetings to him. "how are you today?"
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Old 27-Jun-2005, 13:45
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Default Re: Another memory lapse?

I suggested 'have become' because of the typo. 'become' would also work.

'Offspring' would not work in a casual question. It wouldn't be offensive, but it would be weird.

I asked how he's doing = generally enquiry.

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Old 27-Jun-2005, 19:13
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Default Re: Another memory lapse?

But there must be a reason you chose "to have become" as the first answer you came up with as opposed to "to become". They are different in tone, aren't they? Would you like to explain the difference? Thanks again!
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Old 28-Jun-2005, 06:56
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Default Re: Another memory lapse?

Where it is clear that the past is intended, we don't always use the 'have become' form:

He denied doing it.
He denied having done it.

Here, it is clear in both that the action came before the denial, so we would often use the first form.

I would like to do it.
I would like to have done it.

Here, the same is not true, so we wouldn't have the choice. Where we have the choice, especially informally, we tend to use the simpler form.
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