Remain happy

[tufguy]

Hi guys,

Please checK. Can we say "We remained happy when we were children" or "He always remains happy no matter what kind of situation he is facing" or "Everybody remains happy as a child or when they are children"?

 

[tedmc]

I think 'remain happy' is not a good phrase to use.
You can say: Children are always carefree and happy.
Children are innocent, carefree and happy.

not a teacher

 

[MikeNewYork]

I would say "We were happy when we were children." He is always happy...".

Not all children are happy.

 

[tedmc]

I would say "We were happy when we were children." He is always happy...".
Not all children are happy.

Mike, your third sentence seems to contradict the first.

not a teacher

 

[MikeNewYork]

In what way? Does "we" mean "everybody" to you?

 

[tedmc]

Yes, 'we' can mean everybody unless you qualify what 'we' means.

not a teacher

 

[MikeNewYork]

Not for me. I would say just the opposite. "We" refers to a specific reference group that the speaker is familiar with, unless it is defined to mean something else. I can't imagine any interpretation of that sentence that would apply to all children in all places.

 

[tedmc]

You have just qualified and defined "we" yourself, to refer to a smaller group of people.
To me, "we" is so general as to mean the people of a town, a country or the world.

not a teacher

 

[MikeNewYork]

And you can continue to believe that.

 

[tedmc]

Remember Michael Jackson's song "We are the world"? ☺

 

[bhaisahab]

Remember Michael Jackson's song "We are the world"? ☺

I remember it (unfortunately). What is it supposed to prove?

 

[tedmc]

I remember it (unfortunately). What is it supposed to prove?

That 'we' could mean 'the world'.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Because Michael Jackson sang that?

 

[tedmc]

President Obama refers to 'we' as a nation too.

 

[MikeNewYork]

You are forgetting the original sentence as you scramble to find justification for your opinion.