Vocabulary Question 'redistribute'

Status
Not open for further replies.

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore
Hi English Teacher,
Is my sentence acceptable? Thanks a lot in advance.
I have redistributed the pocket money with my brother because he has recently gained a lot of weight.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
It doesn't work for me. Did you give your pocket money to your brother? If so, I don't see the connection with his weight gain. I'm afraid I can't see what money moved and the reason for the movement.
 

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore
Hi Tdol,
I share the money with him because he needs more money to buy food.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
You are encouraging him to put on more weight by giving him money for extra food?
 

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore
Hi emsr2d2,
money.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I gave my brother my pocket money because he's spending more on food???
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
My brother has recently gained a lot of weight and needs more food so I have decided to give him some of my pocket money.

Only your parents can redistribute the pocket money, by changing the ratio they give to you and to your brother. You are not redistributing it, you are simply sharing your pocket money with your brother.
 

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore
Thanks emsr2d2.
 

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore
Hi emsr2d2,
can I say'My brother has gained a lot of weight recently so my parents have redistributed my pocket money for him to buy more food'?
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
can I say'My brother has gained a lot of weight recently so my parents have redistributed my pocket money for him to buy more food'?
The whole thing sounds very unnatural to me for a number of reasons:

1. Parents usually give pocket money to children. Children who are in receipt of pocket money from their parents usually do not have to buy their own food.
2. Gaining weight is not normally a justification for buying more food.
3. The idea of 'redistributing' one person's pocket money is strange. It is the whole amount given as pocket money to both children that is being redistributed. I think that native speakers of BrE would be more likely to say something like, "My parents have cut my pocket money and increased my brother's".
 

Loh Jane

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Singapore
Current Location
Singapore

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Your thanks are appreciated, but you don't need to send them in a separate post.

We are all happy to accept a simple click on the Like button as your acknowledgement of our help.


Rover:-D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top