How would you like to treat v.s. Would you like to treat

[Sin-Yu Tsai]

1.How would you like to treat?
2.Would you like to treat?

Are they different? Why do we have How in the first sentence?
Thank you.

 

[emsr2d2]

Neither one is correct. You need something after "treat". Also, it's not clear whether you mean "to give medical attention to" or "to do something nice for someone".

How would you like to treat the young girl with typhoid?
How would you like to treat me for my birthday?

Would you like to treat the man with the broken leg?
Would you like to treat me to a weekend away in Venice?

 

[teechar]

Both #1 and #2 are ungrammatical because "treat" is a transitive verb.
Have a look here:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/treat

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Treat" can also be an intransitive verb, particularly in the sense of paying for someone else's food for drink.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm trying to come up with a way of making it intransitive. It works as a noun in that context - "It's OK. I'll buy the meal. It's my treat". However, if you make it a verb in that sentence, it would still have to be "I'll treat you to a meal". "I'll treat" doesn't work.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It works in American English. See intransitive definitions here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/treat

 

[emsr2d2]

Examples 1 and 3 sound very archaic to me, and it's interesting that they haven't managed to come up with an example sentence for definition 2. Can you give me a sample sentence for its usage? I'm genuinely stumped.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I will treat for dinner.

 

[emsr2d2]

Then it is another AmE vs BrE difference. That would have to be "I will treat you/him/her/them/us to dinner" in BrE.

 

[MikeNewYork]

We'll just add that to the many BrE expressions that sound odd to me. ;-)

 

[Tdol]

But if you are treating for dinner, I won't be complaining about the oddness of the phrasing. :-D

 

[Rover_KE]

'Treat' (intransitive) also has a legal meaning:

to carry on negotiations with a view to a settlement; discuss terms of settlement; negotiate.

(Dictionary.com)

 

[teechar]

Is that not historical/archaic?

 

[Sin-Yu Tsai]

I learned a lot from your discussion. But is there any difference between How would you like and Would you like?
And yes, the treat in my examples refers to paying for food. I'm sorry for not making it clear.

 

[emsr2d2]

It would be easier to answer your question if we use two more natural questions. For example:

How would you like to go out for dinner this evening?
Would you like to go out for dinner this evening?

In that case, they mean the same although the answer to the first would probably be something like "That sounds great. Thanks" whereas the answer to the second could just be a simple "Yes" or "No".

 

[MikeNewYork]

But if you are treating for dinner, I won't be complaining about the oddness of the phrasing. :-D

I thought not. :lol:

 

[Tdol]

I thought not. :lol:

Grammar seems less important when the dinner is free.