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[Kazumyn]

How do you do?
I'm majoring in linguistics in my unversity. Now, I'm studying resultative constructions with fake objects. These sentences are often used as not a result expression but a hyperbole. However, the following sentence is ambigious.
(a) She sang herself hoarse.
(a) admits of two different readings-" she was hoarse from singing" or "she sang too much."

QESTION 1 How a native English speaker select an interpretation of the fake object result constructions.

Then, I hit on an idea that in the case of hyperbole, the fake object resultative constructions could occur with for-pharase. For example,
(b) She sang herself hoarse for hours. -<hyperbole>
Coversely, (c) can be captured as only 'result' meaning.
(c) She sang herself hoarse in hours. -<result>

QUESTION 2 Is my speculation corect or wrong? Can the case happen that (c) also shows an exaggeration or the reverse?

Could you answer my question?
-Lastly, I'm sorry for my poor English.

[Lorikeet]

You might also consider posting in the "Applied Linguistics" Forum in the Teacher forums on this website.

[Kristea]

You wrote...

(b) She sang herself hoarse for hours. -<hyperbole>
Coversely, (c) can be captured as only 'result' meaning.
(c) She sang herself hoarse in hours. -<result>


**I will give this a try.

Neither option sound correct. The phrase that is the more natual is merely "She sang herself hoarse." Duration of time is not a factor; she sang a long time is implied, I grant you. The hyperbole is affected by noting that she is hoarse from singing alone. (Exaggeration doesn't need a time frame after all.)

Hope that helps - Kristi
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