How do I think? ... with my brain ... by writing in my journal

[kadioguy]

What's the difference between "How do you think" and "What do you think"?

How do I think? So many possible answers, such as: with my brain; deeply sometimes, more shallowly other times; by myself or in discussion with others; reflecting on what I read, see, or hear; by writing in my journal, trying to figure things out; researching; and so on.

What do I think? About what? I love to think about so many different topics (which I suppose is why I'm having fun on Quora!). Or are you asking for my opinion about something when you use this expression, or are you asking me for a decision?

[...]

https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-How-do-you-think-and-What-do-you-think

(The red colour is mine.)
----
Why is it "with my brain" while others are "by myself" and "by writing in my journal"?

What is the difference in meaning between "with" and "by" here?

How about switching them here?

 

[dunchee]

I assume you know the author meant "I think with my brain" when (s)he wrote "with my brain".

Google Ngram: (you may need to hit enter at the query box if you don't see this message displayed: "Ngrams not found: I think by my brain")
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=I+think+with+my+brain,+I+think+by+my+brain&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=26&smoothing=3&direct_url=t1;,I think with my brain;,c0#

"by myself":

(all) by myself | meaning of (all) by myself in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

(all) by myself meaning, definition, what is (all) by myself: alone: Learn more.

www.ldoceonline.com

 

[jutfrank]

Ngrams can't answer this properly as it's about meaning.

The preposition with can carry the sense that its object is a tool through which the operation is performed. That's the case in your example.

I walk with my legs.
I killed him with a gun.

The preposition by can carry the sense that its object is a manner in which the operation is performed.

I I walk by putting one foot in front of the other.
I killed him by shooting him.

 

[kadioguy]

How do I think? So many possible answers, such as: with my brain; deeply sometimes, more shallowly other times; by myself or in discussion with others; reflecting on what I read, see, or hear; by writing in my journal, trying to figure things out; researching; and so on.

(The red colour is mine.)

By the way, should I say "the red colour is mine" or "the red colours are mine"? There are several red parts , but saying "the red colours" seems to me that they are different red colours, like light red and dark red.

What do you think?

 

[jutfrank]

I normally say 'the red bits' or 'the red parts' or, in this case, 'the red words'. Alternatively, 'the bits/parts/words highlighted in red'.

 

[kadioguy]

I normally say 'the red bits' or 'the red parts' or, in this case, 'the red words'. Alternatively, 'the bits/parts/words highlighted in red'.

Thanks. But 'the red bits', 'the red parts', 'the red words or 'the bits/parts/words highlighted in red' is a little ambiguous. I mean, the bits/parts/words are not mine, while the colour is.

Perhaps "I added the red colour"?

 

[jutfrank]

Then you could say The (red) highlighting is mine.

 

[Tarheel]

You could also say "Emphasis mine" and everybody will know what you mean.

 

[kadioguy]

You could also say "Emphasis mine" and everybody will know what you mean.

Could I say a little more like "The emphasis is mine"?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes. (I've seen that (Emphasis mine) where a person has italicized something in a quote, and they want to make it clear they did that (italicize a word or phrase) and not the person they are quoting.

 

[kadioguy]

I've seen that (Emphasis mine) where a person has italicized something in a quote, and they want to make it clear they did that (italicize a word or phrase) and not the person they are quoting.

I sometimes feel a little confused about the use of the present tense like this.

That is, the present tense used in description of past events. I know grammar terms like "historical present". But I am more interested in what you are thinking when you use the tense this way.

In this case, was the event so vivid that you chose the present tense to explain? (Of course, the past tense would also work here.) Please tell me what native speakers think about this.

(And please don't delete this post. This is a very important topic to me. You know, we don't have verb tenses in Chinese. )

 

[Tarheel]

I'm a little confused also. You seem to have changed the subject. Also, I didn't use present tense. I used present perfect.