Eric Thompson
Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Posts: 148 Location: Angeles, Pampanga, Philippines
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Chan-Seung: 'I want to make a difference', I guess, doesn't make sense to a learner of English. Normally, when things are 'different', we see the 'difference', we notice/observe/feel/smell/taste, etc. the 'difference', or lastly, sense the 'difference' between or among things. So, making a difference is something 'different'. It's an idiom, therefore. Your sentence means 'I want to do something, or things, that will cause changes to be made in the lives of other people, or in our environment.' It has a positive connotation, meaning it's a 'do-good' idea. Another way to look at it is: 'I want to do something good that will be noticed by other people, and that the 'after' is different and better than the 'before''. So the difference is sensed over a period of time...That's kind of a long explanation. But it was thought-provoking. Ok? -Eric  |
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