Tom said "I'll go to the shop tomorrow" > Tom said he would go to the shop the next day

[Kyadere]

When we use a quotation marks we change nothing:
- Tom said "I'll go to the shop tomorrow."
- Kate said "I live here."

When we use "someone said (that)" we often change some words:
- Tom said that he would go to the shop the next day. (I changed "tomorrow" to "the next day". A change to 'on Monday' would be less universal.)
- Kate said that she lived there. (I changed "here" to "there")

These changes are not automatic and depend on the context although changing 'tomorrow, here' to 'the next day, there' is quite universal.

Could you tell me what you think of the following changes. Does any of them not make sense or are they non-universal?

1. here -> there
2. this -> that/the
3. these -> those/the
4. thus -> so
5. ago -> previously, before, earlier
6. now -> then, at the moment, immediately
7. come -> go
8. hence -> thence
9. today -> that day
10. yesterday -> the day before, the previous day
11. tomorrow -> the next day, the following day, the day after
12. tonight -> that night
13. last month -> the month before, the previous month
14. next month -> the month after, the following month, the month week
15. in one hour -> one hour later
16. the day after tomorrow -> in two day's time, two days later
17. the day before yesterday -> two days before

 

[Tarheel]

It is rarely helpful for the ESL learner to explain things.

If the comparison was between complete sentences I might be able to comment.

 

[Kyadere]

It is rarely helpful for the ESL learner to explain things.

If the comparison was between complete sentences I might be able to comment.

But isn't it the case that if we are in a completely different place and time then, for example, "tomorrow" can always be changed to "the next day"?

Today someone says:
"I should wait until tomorrow"

In a completely different place and time I can say:
Someone said that they should wait until the next day.

 

[Tarheel]

You're talking about what's called reported speech.

Bob: I'll do it tomorrow.

The same day:

Ron: Bob said he'll do it tomorrow.

Later:

Ron: Bob said he'd do it the next day.

 

[Kyadere]

You're talking about what's called reported speech.

Bob: I'll do it tomorrow.

The same day:

Ron: Bob said he'll do it tomorrow.

Later:

Ron: Bob said he'd do it the next day.

Exactly. So we change "tomorrow" to "the next day". (If time has changed a lot.) Note that "the next day" does not depend on the context. It also works on the same day.

But what about the other words? Are these changes also as universal as "tomorrow" -> "the next day"?
1. here -> there
2. this -> that/the
3. these -> those/the
4. thus -> so
5. ago -> previously, before, earlier
6. now -> then, at the moment, immediately
7. come -> go
8. hence -> thence
9. today -> that day
10. yesterday -> the day before, the previous day
11. tomorrow -> the next day, the following day, the day after
12. tonight -> that night
13. last month -> the month before, the previous month
14. next month -> the month after, the following month, the month week
15. in one hour -> one hour later
16. the day after tomorrow -> in two day's time, two days later
17. the day before yesterday -> two days before

Are these changes correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

@Kyadere Please read the final sentence of post #2 again. If you want to practise converting direct speech into indirect (reported) speech, please write a few complete sentences in both forms and we'll comment.

 

[Kyadere]

@Kyadere Please read the final sentence of post #2 again. If you want to practise converting direct speech into indirect (reported) speech, please write a few complete sentences in both forms and we'll comment.

I don't really think that context is important in my question (because I'm looking for changes that don't depend on context) but here you are.

Assuming that the time and place of speaking changes significantly:
1. "I am HERE" = Someone said that they were THERE

2. "THIS book is mine" = Someone said that THAT/THE book was theirs

3. "THESE shoes are on sale" = Someone said that THOSE/THE shoes were on sale

4. "I planned to reduce staff and THUS to cut costs." = Someone said that they had planned to reduce staff and SO to cut costs

5. "I met her a year AGO" = Someone said that they were had met her a year PREVIOUSLY/BEFORE/EARLIER

6. "I'm not hungry now" = Someone said that they were not hungry THEN / AT THE MOMENT / IMMEDIATELY

7. "COME to the party" = Someone told me to GO to the party"

8. "The eggs were fresh and HENCE satisfactory" = Someone said that the eggs had been fresh and THENCE satisfactory.

9. "I ate lunch TODAY" = Someone said that they had eaten lunch THAT DAY

10. "I finished reading the novel YESTERDAY" = Someone said that they had finished reading the novel THE DAY BEFORE / THE PREVIOUS DAY

11. "I will do it TOMORROW" = Someone said that they would do it THE NEXT DAY / THE FOLLOWING DAY / THE DAY AFTER

12. "I'm going to a party TONIGHT" = Someone said that they were going to a party THAT NIGHT

13. "I visited the art gallery LAST MONTH" = Someone said that they had visited the art gallery THE MONTH BEFORE / THE PREVIOUS MONTH

14. "I will work NEXT MONTH" = Someone said that they would work THE MONTH AFTER / THE FOLLOWING MONTH / THE NEXT MONTH / THAT MONTH

15. "I will be ready IN ONE HOUR" = Someone said that they would be ready ONE HOUR LATER.

16. "I'm expecting important guests THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW" = Someone said that they were expecting important guests IN TWO DAYS' TIME / TWO DAYS LATER

17. "I saw him THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY" = Someone said that they had seen him TWO DAYS BEFORE.

18. "I'm JUST coming" = Someone said that they were THEN coming

19. BRING me THAT knife = Someone told me to TAKE them THE knife

 

[5jj]

Assuming that the time and place of speaking changes significantly:

That is already some context.

1. "I am HERE" = Someone said that they were THERE.

2. "THIS book is mine" = Someone said that THAT/THE book was theirs.

3. "THESE shoes are on sale" = Someone said that THOSE/THE shoes were on sale.

4. "I planned to reduce staff and THUS to cut costs." = Someone said that they had planned to reduce staff and SO to cut costs. There is no need to change thus.

5. "I met her a year AGO" = Someone said that they were had met her a year PREVIOUSLY/BEFORE/EARLIER.

6. "I'm not hungry now" = Someone said that they were not hungry THEN / AT THAT MOMENT / IMMEDIATELY.

7. "COME to the party" = Someone told me to GO to the party." Come is possible.

That's enough for now.

 

[Tarheel]

"Come to the party" is possible. (More likely: "We're having a party at our house. Do you want to come?") As reported speech I would say I was invited to the party.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't really think that context is important in my question (because I'm looking for changes that don't depend on context) but here you are.

The kind of language you're talking about is what is called deixis. This is basically when the meaning of a word/phrase is fully dependent on the time and place of the speaker as he utters it. That's to say that context (especially situational context) is supremely important.

It's very good you're trying to expand your vocabulary here but don't presume that these phrases must always be appropriate to all situations.

(By the way, don't say 'thence'.)

 

[Kyadere]

The kind of language you're talking about is what is called deixis. This is basically when the meaning of a word/phrase is fully dependent on the time and place of the speaker as he utters it. That's to say that context (especially situational context) is supremely important.

It's very good you're trying to expand your vocabulary here but don't presume that these phrases must always be appropriate to all situations.

(By the way, don't say 'thence'.)

Can you find at least one context where changing "tomorrow" to "the next day" in indirect speech wouldn't be appropriate?

 

[emsr2d2]

Can you find at least one context where changing "tomorrow" to "the next day" in indirect speech wouldn't be appropriate?

That would be the case when a report of speech comes on the same day as the original statement.

11am Wednesday:
Jane: Will you wash the car, please?
James: Sure. I'll do it tomorrow.

1pm Wednesday:
Jane's daughter offers to wash her car. Jane declines because James already said he'll do it tomorrow.
Jane's daughter offers to wash her car. Jane declines because James already said he'll do it the next day.

 

[Kyadere]

That would be the case when a report of speech comes on the same day as the original statement.

11am Wednesday:
Jane: Will you wash the car, please?
James: Sure. I'll do it tomorrow.

1pm Wednesday:
Jane's daughter offers to wash her car. Jane declines because James already said he'll do it tomorrow.
Jane's daughter offers to wash her car. Jane declines because James already said he'll do it the next day.

I think that 'he would do it the next day' also works.

Anyway, in my examples the context is 'the time and place of speaking changes significantly'

 

[jutfrank]

Can you find at least one context where changing "tomorrow" to "the next day" in indirect speech wouldn't be appropriate?

At least one? Here's another one, to add the one in post #12:

Paul: I'll call you tomorrow.

Two days later:

Dave: Where have you been? You said you'd call me yesterday.

You can't say You said you'd call me the next day in this context.

 

[Kyadere]

At least one? Here's another one, to add the one in post #12:

Paul: I'll call you tomorrow.

Two days later:

Dave: Where have you been? You said you'd call me yesterday.

You can't say You said you'd call me the next day in this context.

Fair enough. You are right. Could you tell me what you think of my example sentences?

 

[jutfrank]

Could you tell me what you think of my example sentences?

I understand that you wrote those sentences purely as way of contextualising certain deictic phrases. What else do you want to know?

As I said, I think it's a good thing that you're focusing on this vocabulary, but just make sure you don't overgeneralise. You have to think about the particular situational context in which the language is used.

 

[Kyadere]

I understand that you wrote those sentences purely as way of contextualising certain deictic phrases. What else do you want to know?

As I said, I think it's a good thing that you're focusing on this vocabulary, but just make sure you don't overgeneralise. You have to think about the particular situational context in which the language is used.

I would like to know if the word changes are correct. There was a good analysis in #8 comment but it only discusses the first 7 sentences.

 

[5jj]

they had finished reading the novel THE DAY BEFORE / THE PREVIOUS DAY.

11. "I will do it TOMORROW." = Someone said that they would do it THE NEXT DAY / THE FOLLOWING DAY / THE DAY AFTER

12. "I'm going to a party TONIGHT" = Someone said that they were going to a party THAT NIGHT.

13. "I visited the art gallery LAST MONTH" = Someone said that they had visited the art gallery THE MONTH BEFORE / THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

14. "I will work NEXT MONTH" = Someone said that they would work THE MONTH AFTER / THE FOLLOWING MONTH / THE NEXT MONTH / THAT MONTH.

15. "I will be ready IN ONE HOUR" = Someone said that they would be ready IN ONE HOUR.

16. "I'm expecting important guests THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW." = Someone said that they were expecting important guests IN TWO DAYS' TIME / TWO DAYS LATER.

17. "I saw him THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY." = Someone said that they had seen him TWO DAYS BEFORE.

18. "I'm JUST coming.." = Someone said that they were JUST coming.

19. BRING me THAT knife = Someone told me to TAKE/BRING them THE knife.

In future , please limit yeourself to on or two sentences at a time.

 

[Kyadere]

In future , please limit yeourself to on or two sentences at a time.

Understood. One last thing. Could you say what you think of sentences 8 and 9? (you missed them)

 

[Tarheel]

Bob: I'm coming.
Ron: Bob said he was on the way.
----

Bob:. Bring me the knife.
Ron: Bob told me to take the knife to him.