Type out/ Write out/ Read out/ Spell out.

[Ashraful Haque]

I know 'read out' and 'spell out' are what we say when we want someone to read/spell something aloud.
But I'm not sure about 'type out' and 'write out.'

I was chatting with a group of people online and they wanted to know about a local food. Since they were foreigners I said "I'll type it out for you guys."
Was my sentence correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

Your sentence is OK. I'm not sure why it's relevant that they were foreigners, though!

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Your sentence is OK. I'm not sure why it's relevant that they were foreigners, though!

Sorry I assumed everyone would understand. It's because I was telling them about 'panta bhat' and 'vorta.' I'm pretty sure no foreigners would be able to make out what these things are without the help of google.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

Your sentence is OK. I'm not sure why it's relevant that they were foreigners, though!

Sorry I forgot to ask. Don't we say 'write down' when talking about using pens and papers?

Please let me know if the prepositions are good.
1) Write down
2) Type out
3) Spell out
4) Read out

 

[emsr2d2]

We use both "write down" and "write out". They're not necessarily interchangeable.

 

[Tarheel]

Say:

pen and paper

 

[teechar]

and they wanted to know something about a local food/dish.

See above. Otherwise, your original phrasing was not very natural. Again, I don't like the use of "guys" to mean "people". Drop it.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

See above. Otherwise, your original phrasing was not very natural. Again, I don't like the use of "guys" to mean "people". Drop it.

You suggested 'folks' in the other thread. To be honest I haven't heard 'folks' being used in American movies too often. Is it something a native American would prefer over guys?

 

[Ashraful Haque]

We use both "write down" and "write out". They're not necessarily interchangeable.

Could you please tell me when to use 'write out'?

 

[teechar]

You suggested 'folks' in the other thread. To be honest I haven't heard 'folks' being used in American movies too often.

I suggested that "folks" works better, because it's gender-neutral. However, I said that it would be best not to use either!

Is it something a native speaker of American English would prefer over "guys"?

I'll leave that for our American members to answer.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, "guys" is informal. It can be used to refer to a group of men or boys or a mixed group. The word "folks" is also informal and perhaps a bit old-fashioned. To refer to a group of individuals you can of course always use "people". If you are talking about how to address the members of UE, no form of address is needed.

 

[jutfrank]

The phrase in question here is you guys rather than just guys. It's an extremely common informal alternative to the second person plural you, meant as a genderless pronoun, in all varieties of English. As a pronoun, you folks is not natural in most varieties.

 

[teechar]

It's an extremely common informal alternative ..... in all varieties of English.

Really? Has England caved in?

As a pronoun, you folks is not natural in most varieties.

I disagree. It may not be as common nowadays, but I would not call it unnatural.

 

[jutfrank]

Really? Has England caved in?

Yes, massively!

I disagree. It may not be as common nowadays, but I would not call it unnatural.

Do you mean using you folks as a pronoun alternative to you? I'm not sure if I've heard that. Or do you mean the word folks as an alternative to 'people'.

 

[jutfrank]

I know 'read out' and 'spell out' are what we say when we want someone to read/spell something aloud.

Right. The particle out in those verbs has the meaning of 'aloud'.

But I'm not sure about 'type out' and 'write out.'

It has an ostensibly different but essentially similar meaning in these verbs. The meaning is also something like, 'express', but obviously not by using the voice.

In your example, you mean that you wanted to express a Bengali word in English letters.

 

[emsr2d2]

With regard to "guys" and "you guys", I would never suggest on this forum that learners use it towards anyone. You have no idea what their feelings are on what are technically gender-specific terms.
However, I can assure you that I use "Hi guys" as a greeting to good friends, regardless of whether it's an all-female group, all-male, or a mixture. In the same way, in something like an online group chat, even with all women, I might say "What do you guys think?" To me, it's an all-encompassing term but I would use it only with people I know really well and I'm confident aren't going to be offended.

 

[teechar]

Yes, massively!

Pity.

Do you mean using you folks as a pronoun alternative to you?

Yes, that's what I meant.

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[Ashraful Haque]

Right. The particle out in those verbs has the meaning of 'aloud'.



It has an ostensibly different but essentially similar meaning in these verbs. The meaning is also something like, 'express', but obviously not by using the voice.

In your example, you mean that you wanted to express a Bengali word in English letters.

I've heard 'write down' but never 'write something out.'
I really want to know when to use 'write out.'

 

[emsr2d2]

Write out your name in block capitals.

It's equally possible to simply say "Write your name ..." but "write out" works in BrE.

 

[jutfrank]

I've heard 'write down' but never 'write something out.'
I really want to know when to use 'write out.'

Think of write out as meaning something like 'express in full written form'. I consider the out part to be essentially similar in meaning as with lay out and spread out. The idea, I think, is that a thought exists in some kind of encoded form (perhaps in the mind, or in a kind of notation) and when you 'write it out' you present it in its complete form. It's just the same with spell out.