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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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 Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 2:46 pm Post subject: Please look at the following sentence: |
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You should be friends with him.
In this case, why is it that friends is plural? I know a decent amount of grammar, however this one stumps me. I can only think of a couple of things:
friends, in this case, is used as an action verb, thus it takes the plural form?????
friends is a generalization, thus it takes the plural form?
I am stumped. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Me
Last edited by cubanlord on Fri May 05, 2006 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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RachaelRoo
Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!
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| Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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| My best guess is that it's because there are two friends involved - you and him. |
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JAWINSEOUL
Joined: 19 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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| RachaelRoo wrote: |
| My best guess is that it's because there are two friends involved - you and him. |
Yes, I think the key is the word with, it makes the word friends plural. Here are the dictionary meanings, notice the word with.
- be friends with : to have a friendship or friendly relationship with
- make friends with : to establish a friendship or friendly relations with
It is the same as Chris and John are friends.
Good question ! |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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At first I thought it was hilarious that Koreans say they want to "make" a boyfriend or girlfriend. Then I realized we say we want to "make" friends.
Months later.  |
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Farnsworth
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: Please look at the following sentence: |
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| cubanlord wrote: |
You should be friends with him.
friends, in this case, is used as an action verb, thus it takes the plural form?????
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The word friends is clearly a noun and I believe nouns are generally used as nouns not as action verbs.  Or did I misunderstand what you wrote?
| RachaelRoo wrote: |
| My best guess is that it's because there are two friends involved - you and him. |
Yep, that sounds right to me. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 2:09 am Post subject: Re: Please look at the following sentence: |
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| Farnsworth wrote: |
| cubanlord wrote: |
You should be friends with him.
friends, in this case, is used as an action verb, thus it takes the plural form?????
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The word friends is clearly a noun and I believe nouns are generally used as nouns not as action verbs. Or did I misunderstand what you wrote?
| RachaelRoo wrote: |
| My best guess is that it's because there are two friends involved - you and him. |
Yep, that sounds right to me. |
Yeah..I know. I was hoping for a weird, off-the-wall rule. So much for wishful thinking.. |
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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:44 am Post subject: |
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People are right to say it's because there are 2 people involved. Compare it with 'to be a friend to someone' when you're only talking about 1 person's behaviour.
However, I think it's more helpful to think of it as a verb or verbal phrase - 'to be friends with someone' - than a noun. Same goes for 'to make friends with someone'. |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Hello, Cuban Lord!
Here's a parsimonious answer:
"Xavier is friends with Yolanda" is common, but incorrect.
"Xavier and Yolanda are friends" is correct.
Betcha an English teacher back home would make a red pencil mark if you wrote it the first way.
Hello, Hater Depot!
You got me interested in how "make a friend" is said in Korean.
I keep a file on Korean expressions, and I find:
친구가 되다 = literally, "to become a friend"
나는 그저 당신과 친구가 싶은 뿐이다
Please, I just want to be (a friend, friends) with you.
This one could go either way.
친구로 지내다 = literally, "to spend one's time as a friend"
I entered "친구를 만들" in a Google search, and found one Website which says "친구를 만들 수 있습니다," which means "can make a friend." |
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