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akihiko
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:40 am Post subject: Which is grammatically correct ? |
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Which is grammatically correct ?
It was quite too hot last night. / It was rather too hot last night. |
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lotus
Joined: 25 Jan 2004
Posts: 862
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| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Hi akihiko,
Neither. They both have redundant adjectives. Try:
It was quite hot last night.
It was too hot last night.
It was rather hot last night.
--lotus |
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lotus
Joined: 25 Jan 2004
Posts: 862
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| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, they have redundant adverbs.
Quite, rather and too have the same basic definition of "excessively."
--lotus |
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Lorikeet
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:25 am Post subject: |
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| lotus wrote: |
Actually, they have redundant adverbs.
Quite, rather and too have the same basic definition of "excessively."
--lotus |
Hmm. I agree that "too" has the definition of "excessively." However, I don't think that necessarily applies to "quite" and "rather." For example:
He is quite tall. He is rather tall. (For me, these are a little less than "He is very tall.")
He is too tall. (He can't sit in the sports car without hitting his head. He can't buy clothing at a regular clothing store.)
In the previous examples:
"It was rather hot last night" and "It was quite hot last night" state information about the temperature. You could also say "It was very hot last night." However, I don't know how you feel about the heat--you might like it or not like it. If you say, "It was too hot last night" I know you didn't enjoy it and that you thought it was excessive. |
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lotus
Joined: 25 Jan 2004
Posts: 862
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:13 am Post subject: |
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Hi Lorikeet,
I agree with your assessment of the definitions of too, quite and rather. Independently, they can have subtle, but significant differences in meaning. However, in the context of the two sentences, they sound redundant and wordy. I would cut one of the adverbs out and pick the one that most describe how I feel.
It was quite too hot last night.
It was rather too hot last night.
--lotus |
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Lorikeet
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I agree. I wouldn't use "quite too hot" or "rather too hot" myself. It would either be "too hot" or it wouldn't.  |
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Lorikeet
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, I agree. I wouldn't use "quite too hot" or "rather too hot" myself. It would either be "too hot" or it wouldn't. |
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