Phaedrus
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2012
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- United States
(1) I like how they say those things.
Would you agree with me that (1) is ambiguous? Can it not mean either (1a) or (1b)?
(1a) I like the way that they say those things. (i.e.: I like the manner in which they say those things.)
(1b) I like it that they say those things. (i.e.: I like [the fact] that they say those things.)
If it can, should we say that one meaning is proper and the other informal?
There is no context, incidentally. I could make up an infinite number of variations. The question is purely grammatical.
Thank you.
Would you agree with me that (1) is ambiguous? Can it not mean either (1a) or (1b)?
(1a) I like the way that they say those things. (i.e.: I like the manner in which they say those things.)
(1b) I like it that they say those things. (i.e.: I like [the fact] that they say those things.)
If it can, should we say that one meaning is proper and the other informal?
There is no context, incidentally. I could make up an infinite number of variations. The question is purely grammatical.
Thank you.