Semantics of this sentence

[xanana]

Hello,

I saw this sentence, on a big advert in a train station advertising a cable car service:

Wonder why people climb mountains, when it's safer to be asleep at home.

When I read the sentence; I thought it could mean two things:

• 
  (a) He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains.
  (b) He/she is offering an answer to the question: do you want to know why people climb mountains ?

Note that the backdrop of this sentence is a picture of the summit of the cablecar service. Do you think there's anything wrong with this sentence ? If yes, how would it be corrected to convey the meaning in (b) ?

Thanks

Gavin

 

[John D]

Hi Xanana,

If you take a trip in their cable car, you will get to see why people climb mountains.

Whoever wrote this advert is very smart, you got the message in your b) example.
If an advert can get you thinking it is a good advert.

Keep smiling, have fun.

8)

 

[RonBee]

Hello,

I saw this sentence, on a big advert in a train station advertising a cable car service:

Wonder why people climb mountains, when it's safer to be asleep at home.

When I read the sentence; I thought it could mean two things:

• 
  (a) He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains.
  (b) He/she is offering an answer to the question: do you want to know why people climb mountains ?

I think the answer is more likely to be your second choice.

Note that the backdrop of this sentence is a picture of the summit of the cablecar service. Do you think there's anything wrong with this sentence ? If yes, how would it be corrected to convey the meaning in (b)

I don't see anything wrong with the sentence. Perhaps it means that riding the cable car would be an adventure.

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Wow, it's really a wonderful ad after reading it several times intensively!

Try to imagine, it's just like YOU are seated inside the cable car watching leisurely the people outside climbing the mountain hardly and dangerously bit by bit. And upon seeing all those risky climbing, it'll be natural for you to think why people climb the mountains so adventurely but not like you enjoying the service from cable car!

What do you think?


Lucy from China

 

[RonBee]

Wow, it's really a wonderful ad after reading it several times intensively!

Try to imagine, it's just like YOU are seated inside the cable car watching leisurely the people outside climbing the mountain hardly and dangerously bit by bit. And upon seeing all those risky climbing, it'll be natural for you to think why people climb the mountains so adventurely but not like you enjoying the service from cable car!

What do you think?

I think you have quite an imagination.

I have never ridden in a cable car? Have you?

How would you rewrite this sentence:

He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains.

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Hi Ron, same here, i havenot ever ridden the cable car over the mountain, and it's more interesting in my eyes to climb the mountain by yourself not cars , the course of climbing is just like you are trying to conquer the nature and taste the success after reaching the summit of the mountain. What do you think? i love mountain climbing, from which i can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery and excercise my body!


"He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains."

As for the quoted sentence, i 'd like to rewrite like this :
For those who think it's unworthy to toss their dear life on climbing with danger any time and sacrifice the comfort feeling of staying at home , they will never do this but ride the cable car!

Am I right?

Lucy (in eager beaver)

 

[RonBee]

Adventure.

Hi Ron, same here, i havenot ever ridden the cable car over the mountain, and it's more interesting in my eyes to climb the mountain by yourself not cars , the course of climbing is just like you are trying to conquer the nature and taste the success after reaching the summit of the mountain. What do you think?

While you are climbing the mountain I will stay at the bottom and wait for you to come back and tell me what it was like. :wink:

"He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains."

As for the quoted sentence, i 'd like to rewrite like this :
For those who think it's unworthy to toss their dear life on climbing with danger any time and sacrifice the comfort feeling of staying at home , they will never do this but ride the cable car!

That is rather more creative than I had in mind, but perhaps you have the right idea.

Let's stick a little closer to the target sentence.

"He/she is amazed at daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and the comfort of home to summit mountains."

First, let's choose he as a term that can signify a person of either sex. Second, a person is amazed by people or amazed at what they do. Third, you can't risk the comfort of home, but you can give up the comfort of home. Here is how I would rewrite that sentence: "He is amazed by daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and willingly give up the comfort of home to climb mountains." Here is another possiblbity: "He (or she) is amazed at the feats of daredevil mountaineers who risk their lives and willingly give up the comfort of home to climb mountains."

How's that?

8)

 

[lucyarliwu]

Uhuh!

Ron, I have to admit that your rewritings from contrast angels are pretty creative!




Lucy from China

 

[caxtontype]

Hi Xanana,

If you take a trip in their cable car, you will get to see why people climb mountains.

Whoever wrote this advert is very smart, you got the message in your b) example.
If an advert can get you thinking it is a good advert.

Keep smiling, have fun.

8)

Sentence should end with a question mark.

 

[Tdol]

Hi Xanana,

If you take a trip in their cable car, you will get to see why people climb mountains.

Whoever wrote this advert is very smart, you got the message in your b) example.
If an advert can get you thinking it is a good advert.

Keep smiling, have fun.

8)

Sentence should end with a question mark.

Which sentence? I can't see a question here. 'Whoever' isn't being used as a question word.

 

[lucyarliwu]

Hi Tdol!

Cantontype thought John D should add question mark at the end of this sentence:
"If an advert can get you thinking it is a good advert. "

haha

 

[Red5]

Hi Xanana,

If you take a trip in their cable car, you will get to see why people climb mountains.

Whoever wrote this advert is very smart, you got the message in your b) example.
If an advert can get you thinking it is a good advert?

Keep smiling, have fun.

8)

Sentence should end with a question mark.

Which sentence? I can't see a question here. 'Whoever' isn't being used as a question word.

 

[Tdol]

I see