What factors...

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:03 am

What factors account for the prosody indicated?

A: Take a look at this. It's a solar car.

B: A solar car?

A: That's right. It uses solar energy.

B: Is it fast?

A: Yes, very fast.

B: Whose car IS it?

A: It's mine, of course. It's a present from my uncle.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:01 am

Isn't it "Who would have such a fantastic/ridiculous car as this/that?". Or "who do we know who has a car such as that?", etc.

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:28 am

Oops, I probably should've said that the car is a little model-size affair, more than capable of running on solar energy.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:42 am

fluffyhamster wrote:Oops, I probably should've said that the car is a little model-size affair, more than capable of running on solar energy.

The questioner could still have a negative view of the vehicle.

Anuradha Chepur · Post by **Anuradha Chepur** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:51 am

"What a fantastic car!!" (Never mind whose it is)
Is what is intended, probably.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:43 am

Anuradha Chepur wrote:"What a fantastic car!!" (Never mind whose it is)
Is what is intended, probably.

Or it's a rhetorical question meaning "I suppose it's your car, as you are spoiled/spoilt rotten and always getting such presents."

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 1:20 am

Thanks for the answers.

Yes, AC, the person asking doubtless thinks the car is fab - after all, the extract is from a jolly old junior high school textbook in Japan.

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:00 am

<Yes, AC, the person asking doubtless thinks the car is fab>

"Doubtless"? Are you sure?

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:18 am

Well, I was being a bit ironic, but the characters in textbooks do seem to get along so very well, don't they - a bit like the people on this forum, in fact.

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:21 am

Hey, here's where your interpretation comes into its own, metal:

Whose thread IS this?! Fluffy's - who else?

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:41 am

fluffyhamster wrote:Hey, here's where your interpretation comes into its own, metal:

Whose thread IS this?! Fluffy's - who else?

Public forum?

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:53 am

Yes, public indeed (as in 'lav'); I didn't mean that I own it, but that some might think it yet another questionable thread begun by yours truly (which it probably is).

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:28 am

<I didn't mean that I own it, but that some might think it yet another questionable thread begun by yours truly >

Err...

fluffyhamster · Post by **fluffyhamster** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:36 am

Oh, is that your wife calling you, metal? (Quick, guys, what else can I say to distract him from continuing typing?)

metal56 · Post by **metal56** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:41 am

fluffyhamster wrote:Oh, is that your wife calling you, metal? (Quick, guys, what else can I say to distract him from continuing typing?)

: