variations on "the silent treatment"

[JACEK1]

Hello again!

Every time we quarrel, my wife gives me the silent treatment.

Every time we quarrel, I receive / get the silent treatment from my wife.

Which of the sentences is acceptable to you?

 

[5jj]

Grammatically, both are fine.

Neither is acceptable to me. My wife would not dare give me the silent treatment.

 

[JACEK1]

I like your sense of humour.

 

[5jj]

I like your sense of humour.

Be very careful! They haven't yet found all the pieces of the last person who accused me of having a sense of humour.

 

[SoothingDave]

Sirach 26:14 (NRSV) - " A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline." - Biblia.com

 

[Rover_KE]

Every time we quarrel, my wife gives me the silent treatment.

Every time we quarrel, I receive / get the silent treatment from my wife.

Which of the sentences is acceptable to you?

The first is fine.

In the second, use 'get'. It matches the informality of the sentence better than the more formal 'receive'.

 

[emsr2d2]

Grammatically, both are fine.

Neither is acceptable to me. My wife would not dare give me the silent treatment.

I can't believe we've got this far down the thread without anyone suggesting that most women aren't capable of keeping silent for long enough to do that.


(Before anyone comes down on me like a ton of bricks, I lay claim to my right to say that as a member of the gentler sex!)

 

[5jj]

I lay claim to my right to say that as a member of the gentler sex!

Sexist bilge.

 

[emsr2d2]

Sexist bilge.

Actually, I agree. When something is true, it can/should be said by anyone. The same goes for screaming "Bl**dy women drivers" out of the car window, something I find myself doing quite often!

Apologies, Jacek, we appear to have got distracted (again). However, I agree with 5jj that both are grammatically perfectly fine. The only change I might make would be to the beginning of the sentence. I find "quarrel" a (slightly) old-fashioned term. In BrE, I would probably say "Every time we have a row/an argument ..." and I think in AmE, you would hear "Every time we fight ...". I believe the term is used for a verbal disagreement as well as a physical fight. I'm sure one of our AmE friends will clarify this once they wake up.

PS Jacek, I hope your wife is speaking to you by now.

 

[SoothingDave]

Actually, I agree. When something is true, it can/should be said by anyone. The same goes for screaming "Bl**dy women drivers" out of the car window, something I find myself doing quite often!

Apologies, Jacek, we appeared to have got distracted (again). However, I agree with 5jj that both are grammatically perfectly fine. The only change I might make would be to the beginning of the sentence. I find "quarrel" a (slightly) old-fashioned term. In BrE, I would probably say "Every time we have a row/an argument ..." and I think in AmE, you would hear "Every time we fight ...". I believe the term is used for a verbal disagreement as well as a physical fight. I'm sure one of our AmE friends will clarify this once they wake up.

PS Jacek, I hope your wife is speaking to you by now.

That is correct. We fight or argue. The only time we row is when we are in a canoe.

 

[konungursvia]

That is correct. We fight or argue. The only time we row is when we are in a canoe.

I wonder how Brits can tell the difference between the verbs "row" and "row?" I sure can't. I mean, are all seamen always in good spirits? I don't think so.

 

[5jj]

I /rəʊ/ a boat and /raʊ/with my wife. We sometime /raʊ/ if she criticises the way I /rəʊ/.

 

[emsr2d2]

I /rəʊ/ a boat and /raʊ/with my wife. We sometime /raʊ/ if she criticises the way I /rəʊ/.

I'm sure you make a terrible row while rowing with your wife about the state of your rowing.