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explaining the difference
Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 4:52 pm
by mmaille
How does one explain the difference between the use of " as for" and " as far as I'm concerned?
is "as for " always in a negative situation? "AS FOR YOU, YOU CAN GO AWAY!" " AS FOR YOU , YOU CAN BE QUIET!"
Posted: Mon May 26, 2003 8:13 am
by Norm Ryder
mmaille
I would normally use "As for you" after I had been speaking to someone else. It does seem to have the tone of "dishing out" punishment or correction. So a conversation might go something like this: "James, I've told you it's dangerous to swim in that part of the river. You're grounded for the next week. And as for you, John, who led him there, I've a good mind to ban you from the net for a month."
So, that interpretation, at least, makes it quite different from "As far as I'm concerned", which distinguishes your own opinion from someone else's.
Hope that gives you a start. Maybe someone out there can add some other contexts for "As for you .... ".
Norm
Posted: Tue May 27, 2003 3:32 am
by LarryLatham
Norm,
I hope others appreciate your clarity and your sensible uncomplicatedness as much as I do. It's always such a pleasure to read your posts on this forum.
As usual, you've skewered the issue right on the money here.
Larry Latham
to go for ....
Posted: Tue May 27, 2003 4:10 am
by sita
LarryLatham wrote:I hope others appreciate your clarity and your sensible uncomplicatedness as much as I do.,
I do!
Could you please tell me if this statement by a German colleague is wrong.
( I think it is)
unfortunately "to go for" is a "colloquial" expression; that doesn't mean it is not used in everyday speech--it often is. "Go for it" is fine if you use it in a letter, a phone call etc. All I meant to say is that you shouldn't use it in a college paper, or essay question/answer. Use something like "he prefers to ..." or "he choses to..." or "he selects to..." etc. ; it's safer and it's correct English. Regards,
Thank you very much!
Siân
"go for it"
Posted: Fri May 30, 2003 12:13 am
by Norm Ryder
Siân
Your German colleague has a point. The locution “go for it” has, of course, a standard use, as in “Please go for it tomorrow”. But you’d be asking about its more common use today, which is to encourage someone either to pursue their goal (with or without support from others), or to open the way for someone to ask you a question.
At present, the last usage is regarded as ‘informal’. Whether informal language is acceptable in a college paper or essay will depend both on the topic and on your assessor. For example, you would want to keep a consistently formal tone in a research paper comparing British policies in the Middle East in the 1950s with current US policies there; but an essay on the successes and failures of a particular movie director or actor could admit a more informal tone. Even then, a lot would depend on the preferences of your lecturer or professor (if good marks are your aim!). However, if you’re out to stir the establishment a little, then go for it!
So my suggestion is to keep it formal unless you know that your lecturer wants to hear a much more personal tone in your writing.
And thanks for the encouragement, Larry and Siân. It's a big learning experience for me, too.
Norm
Thank you!
Posted: Fri May 30, 2003 6:40 am
by sita
Hi Norm!
Thank you so much for your very useful reply!
I have lived in Germany for such a long time and dread to lose touch...
Best wishes
Siân
