|
Hello
I have a question about the interpretation of the sentence below.
"He told me to leave at 6:00 PM Tuesday"
How do you take this sentence? Which one is it saying, (1) or (2)?
(1) He told me at 6:00 PM Tuesday that he would leave.
(2) He told me that he would leave at 6:00 PM Tuesday.
If both of the interpretations are possible, which interpretation is more normal?
Thank you in advance.
|
|
Oops! I have to correct my question.
I have a question about the interpretation of the sentence below.
"He told me to leave at 6:00 PM Tuesday"
How do you take this sentence? Which one is it saying, (1) or (2)?
(1) He told me at 6:00 PM Tuesday that I should leave.
(2) He told me that I should leave at 6:00 PM Tuesday.
If both of the interpretations are possible, which interpretation is more normal?
|
|
I suppose that both interpretations are possible, but I would normally take that to mean:
(2) He told me that I should leave at 6:00 PM Tuesday.
|
|
Both are possible but (2) is by far the most common interpretation.
In fact (1) is so uncommon that, if it were intended, a careful speaker would take pains to express it very much as you present it in example (1).
|
