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in the first place

 
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hiromi525



Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 166
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:25 am    Post subject: in the first place Reply with quote
I hated you in the first place.

My teacher told me that this implys "I hated you and I still hate you."

but I look up the phrase in the dictionary and it says "in the first place" can be equally used as firstly.

It doesn't make sense for me. Question
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2006



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 610
PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:25 am    Post subject: Re: in the first place Reply with quote
hiromi525 wrote:
I hated you in the first place. Here, "in the first place" means 'right at the beginning', 'right at the start'. It emphasizes an early time.
My teacher told me that this implys "I hated you and I still hate you." Probably so, but the first sentence mainly talks about the early part of the relationship.
but I look up the phrase in the dictionary and it says "in the first place" can be equally used as firstly.
They can have the same meaning, which is 'the most important thing'. But "firstly" can not be used in the first sentence, because that is not the meaning of "in the first place" there.
It doesn't make sense for me. Question
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