have to

[Taka]

Is there any semantic difference between these two?

He had to keep standing on the train all the way to the destination.
He was kept standing on the train all the way to the destination.

 

[billmcd]

It depends. In the first, it could be that he was forced to stand because there were no seats available. In the second, it could have been that he was required by someone or by some requirement ( e.g. no seats) to stand.

 

[Barb_D]

I would add that if there were simply no seats, it might sound more natural simply as "He had to stand" instead of "He had to keep standing."

 

[Taka]

If the situation was simply that there was no seats available and the only think he/she could do was to stand there, the first one 'He had to stand/keep standing' would be more natural?

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, but "He had to stand" is more natural than "He had to keep standing."

 

[Taka]

Yes, but "He had to stand" is more natural than "He had to keep standing."

Good.

Just out of curiosity, could you tell me why you think 'had to stand' sounds more natural to you, Barb?

 

[Barb_D]

Nope. It just does.
You can do a corpus search, if you wanted. It's just what sound more natural to me.

 

[Taka]

Then let me ask this way.

Wouldn't you come up any situations where 'have to keep standing' is rather appropriate, compared to 'have to stand'?

 

[Rover_KE]

Then let me ask this way.

Wouldn't you come up any situations where 'have to keep standing' is rather appropriate, compared to 'have to stand'?

Barb's probably weary of this thread by now so I'll give you my answer: no.

Rover:sleeping:

 

[Taka]

OH, so there is no situation where 'have to keep standing' is appropriate. Hmm...

 

[Tdol]

They weren't necessarily standing before they had to stand on the train- keep doesn't fit because they may have been sitting on the platform. They got on the train and it was full- where does the notion of keeping standing come from?

 

[Tdol]

OH, so there is no situation where 'have to keep standing' is appropriate. Hmm...

I had to stand from London to Luton- I was hoping people would leave and I'd get a seat, but no one did, so I had to keep standing all the way.

 

[Taka]

Thanks for the great explanation and example, tdol!

 

[billmcd]

I don't think that anyone is suggesting that there is "no situation". And for me, "keep" simply places an emphasis on "standing". And "Hmm" to you also, Taka.

 

[Taka]

I don't think that anyone is suggesting that there is "no situation".

Actually, I knew that. I intentionally made my statement that way to induce further fruitful comments.;-) In fact, if I had ended the discussion there, I wouldn't have received tdol's great answer.