You, are fighting, are making

[GoldfishLord]

Ken Rhee: The nationality part is very important, I think, because as a military officer, you're fighting for your country.
When I entered the military in 2007 March

Sumi Yu: In Korea?

Ken Rhee: Yeah, I entered in March and got commissioned in July and when we get commissioned, we swear in..... basically, you are making a promise to your country.
That's the first time that I felt that I had a country.
Before that, I had to deal with so much racism in the US.
When people tell you that you are not American and they tell you to go to China and they make fun of your eyes. It's like "Man, am I really American".

Sumi Yu: How did you learn Korean?

Source:

Time: from 6:10 to 7:00

---

1. It seems to me that "you"s refer to "Ken Rhee".
I can't understand why "you"s were used there instead of "me" or "I".
2. I'm not sure who "you" and "you" refer to.
3. I'd like to know why "are making" was used there instead of "make"
4. I'd like to know why "'re fighting" was used there instead of "fight"

 

[5jj]

'You' refers to people in general. In the past, we used 'one' for this, but very few people use that any more.

 

[jutfrank]

1. Right. He's really talking about himself, and his own personal experience.
2. They both refer to US military officers in general.
3. and 4. The present continuous expresses the situation that he wants to describe.

 

[GoldfishLord]

1. Right. He's really talking about himself, and his own personal experience.

I think that, because "you"s refer to "Ken Rhee", they should be changed to "me"s and "I".
I'd like to know what you think about that.

2. They both refer to US military officers in general.

"You" means "people in general"
I wonder how "you" and "you" can mean "US military officers in general".

 

[SoothingDave]

I wonder how "you" and "you" can mean "US military officers in general".

Context.

"...as a military officer, you..."

"we get commissioned, we swear in..... basically, you"

 

[GoldfishLord]

Context.

"...as a military officer, you..."

"we get commissioned, we swear in..... basically, you"

I'd also like to know if"you" and "you" refer to "any one US military officer".

 

[jutfrank]

I think that, because "you"s refer to "Ken Rhee", they should be changed to "me"s and "I".
I'd like to know what you think about that.

That's incorrect.

"You" means "people in general"
I wonder how "you" and "you" can mean "US military officers in general".

I don't quite understand what you mean. It's obvious that he's talking about US military officers. He also uses the pronoun we with the same reference.

 

[GoldfishLord]

That's incorrect.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.
Are you saying that they shouldn't be changed to "me" and "I"?

 

[jutfrank]

I'm not sure what you mean by this.
Are you saying that they shouldn't be changed to "me" and "I"?

Yes. I mean, it isn't necessary to change them. It's quite normal to use you to refer to oneself in this way. The effect he wants to get is to try to relate his own personal experience to the wider (more general) population. He's ultimately talking about himself but he also wants to include other people who have had these same experiences.

 

[GoldfishLord]

I don't quite understand what you mean. It's obvious that he's talking about US military officers. He also uses the pronoun we with the same reference.

Now, I understand.

---

• when we get commissioned, we swear in..... basically, you are making a promise to your country.

---

I wonder why, even though he used the pronoun we in the when-clause, he used "you" in the clause after the when-clause.
I think that it is better to use the pronoun we in the clause after the when-clause, because the pronoun we was used in the when-clause.
I'd like to know your take on that.

 

[5jj]

He's speaking informally, not doing an exercise in oratory.

 

[SoothingDave]

I'd also like to know if"you" and "you" refer to "any one US military officer".

I just gave you the context that makes this obvious. I don't know how else to help you.

 

[jutfrank]

I think that it is better to use the pronoun we in the clause after the when-clause, because the pronoun we was used in the when-clause.
I'd like to know your take on that.

I don't know if he's a native speaker but he sounds like one. You can assume that his choice of language is appropriate.

 

[GoldfishLord]

I don't know if he's a native speaker but he sounds like one. You can assume that his choice of language is appropriate.

He is a native speaker.

 

[GoldfishLord]

I don't know if he's a native speaker but he sounds like one. You can assume that his choice of language is appropriate.

"Can" means "be allowed to", I think. However, I'm not sure.
I wonder if "can" means "be allowed to".

 

[jutfrank]

"Can" means "be allowed to", I think. However, I'm not sure.

No, of course not. I'm not granting you permission here. Think again.