Pretensions to

[Sheikh_14]

My intent in this particular message is to inquire whether having or claiming pretensions to anything should purely be regarded in terms of negative connotations i.e.. that its a specious claim or that it can also be seen as an accurate claim?

[emsr2d2]

Welcome to the forum.
Why don't you give us some example sentences using the phrase and then we (and you) will see whether they seem to be negative or not?

[Raymott]

My intent in this particular message is to inquire whether having or claiming pretensions to anything should purely be regarded in terms of negative connotations i.e.. that its a specious claim or that it can also be seen as an accurate claim?

It's usually used in cases where the pretensions are dubious for some reason.
We wouldn't use it for ordinary aspirations such as "I'm going to university next year. I have pretensions to be a teacher."

[Sheikh_14]

It's usually used in cases where the pretensions are dubious for some reason.
We wouldn't use it for ordinary aspirations such as "I'm going to university next year. I have pretensions to be a teacher."

Ahh but what if a hotel makes pretensions to offer luxury or i.e. pretensions to luxury would that instantly come across as a hotel making an effort but falling flat on its face or could there be credibility in such a claim.

[SoothingDave]

Pretentious | Define Pretentious at Dictionary.com

It's a very small step from pretensions to pretentious. I would say that "pretensions to luxury" fall short.

[Sheikh_14]

Pretentious | Define Pretentious at Dictionary.com

It's a very small step from pretensions to pretentious. I would say that "pretensions to luxury" fall short.

Understood, so clearly pretensions is a word which carries with a deluge of negative connotations at all times and is starved off positivity entirely.. Nevertheless, would it be grammatically correct to say pretensions to provide/offer something or you'd have to directly state what that something is immediately. So for instance one could make pretensions to greater intelligence to his peers but could you add have prior to greater in this case and in the former case either provide/offer if the sentence to evade any perceived incompleteness in the sentences.

[bhaisahab]

Understood, so clearly pretensions is a word which carries with a deluge of negative connotations at all times and is starved off positivity entirely.. Nevertheless, would it be grammatically correct to say pretensions to provide/offer something or you'd have to directly state what that something is immediately. So for instance one could make pretensions to greater intelligence to his peers but could you add have prior to greater in this case and in the former case either provide/offer if the sentence to evade any perceived incompleteness in the sentences.



So in the context afforded above what is your verdict?

Please stop posting identical posts.

[emsr2d2]

If one more copy of that post appears, I will close the thread.