[Grammar] ... we cool things down a little.

[kadioguy]

I can't remember now whether he actually turned the metaphorical valve by closing the thread, or was simply suggesting to participants in that thread that we cool things down a little.

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...he-steam-out?p=1536047&viewfull=1#post1536047
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a. ... we cool things down a little.
b. ... we cool down things a little.

c. ... we cool things a little down.
d. ... we cool a little down things.

Which ones are acceptable? I think (a) and (b) are, but how about (c) and (d)? What do you think?

PS - I started up this new thread in order to make the original one less complicated.

 

[tedmc]

I prefer a followed by b.
c and d are not correct.

 

[jutfrank]

Only a.

 

[kadioguy]

Only a.

Thank you, jutfrank.

But I looked this up in dictionaries and it seems that cool something down and cool down something are both acceptable.

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cool something ←→ down/off
to make something cool or cooler

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/cool-down?q=cool+down

cool somebody/something ↔ down
A cold beer will cool you down.

https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/cool-down

 

[jutfrank]

No, you've misread the Oxford entry. Take another look.

 

[kadioguy]

No, you've misread the Oxford entry. Take another look.

I have read it again but still don't know what I've misread. :-?
And how about the Longman entry?

Could you tell me more?

 

[Tarheel]

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...he-steam-out?p=1536047&viewfull=1#post1536047
------------
a. ... we cool things down a little.
b. ... we cool down things a little.

c. ... we cool things a little down.
d. ... we cool a little down things.

Which ones are acceptable? I think (a) and (b) are, but how about (c) and (d)? What do you think?

PS - I started up this new thread in order to make the original one less complicated.

Although the second would be understood, the phrase (a) is cool things down a little. The others look like they have simply been made up.

 

[jutfrank]

I have read it again but still don't know what I've misread. :-?
And how about the Longman entry?

I can't see anywhere in the Oxford that lists an example of use of the pattern cool down something. Neither in the Longman.

 

[kadioguy]

I can't see anywhere in the Oxford that lists an example of use of the pattern cool down something. Neither in the Longman.

Hi jutfrank,

The sign "←→" indicates that "down" can be before or after "something", although I think the former may be less frequent.

I found an example from the Longman Phrasal Verbs Dictionary.

 

[jutfrank]

Oh, I see what you mean regarding the arrows. Thank you for pointing that out.

The rare example sentence that you found (about the US economy) is fine, yes.

In regards to the question in this thread, as I've already said, only a. is acceptable. Sentence b. would be very unlikely, and sounds rather unnatural.

 

[Tdol]

We're not talking about economies here, so b) is a strained usage.

 

[YAMATO2201]

Sentence b. would be very unlikely, and sounds rather unnatural.

Does that have anything to do with the principle of end-focus?

 

[jutfrank]

That may well have something to do with it, but I don't think it's a good explanation.

Where transitive phrasal verbs are separable, we do tend to separate them when the object is short, like a single word.

The same principle applies to why we wouldn't say:

*pick up me
*put away it
*cut off somebody

etc.

If there is a deeper reason for this principle (I assume there is), I'm not aware of it.

 

[YAMATO2201]

Where transitive phrasal verbs are separable, we do tend to separate them when the object is short, like a single word.

The same principle applies to why we wouldn't say:

*pick up me
*put away it
*cut off somebody

etc.

If there is a deeper reason for this principle (I assume there is), I'm not aware of it.

I have seen the following two explanations:

[1] (The Principle of End-Focus)

The "it" in "call off it" is old information since it refers back to something that has previously been mentioned.

Hence, "call off it" is wrong.

[2] (The Flow of Sound)

The "it" in "call off it" is unstressed. Hence,

call (stressed) off (stressed) it (unstressed) [STRONG-STRONG-WEAK] This is awkward to pronounce and sounds weird to the ear.

call (stressed) it (unstressed) off (stressed) [STRONG-WEAK-STRONG] This is easy to pronounce.

Thus, we don't say "call off it". We say "call it off".

[Sorry, I don't remember the sources.] (Very sorry for the poor English translation. )