Elicit

PS   Sat May 23, 2009 2:21 am GMT
Basically i want to mean lets all bring forth the joy we have in ourselves , so that is why I was using the expression Elicit the fun within
Hoo   Sat May 23, 2009 4:23 am GMT
Ah. What you want is: Release the fun within.
PS   Thu May 28, 2009 4:53 am GMT
EXACTLY....
Almond Bread   Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:04 am GMT
I find it disappointing that no one addressed an initial point: In "Elicit the fun within," the verb 'elicit' *is* being used transitively. The direct object in that phrase is 'the fun'. I agree that it's grammatically correct, although it's not very clear what's meant.

On a side note, while I think "Let's all bring forth the joy we have in ourselves," is somewhat stilted, it better expresses its own meaning than "Release the fun within." Either of "Release the joy within yourself" or "Let's release the joy within ourselves" would be better; use of a pronoun is recommended on grounds of clarity, not on grounds of grammar.

The relevant bit there is that, in English, "fun" and "joy" are not synonyms: a person is joyful, but an activity is fun. (Well, a person can be fun, but that means something like "fun to be around," or flipped about, "It's fun to be around that person.") "Release the fun within" seems to imply that you're exhorting people to be fun, rather than to be joyous or happy.
Uriel   Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:01 am GMT
Elicit is a very dry technical term, and it sounds really wrong in conjunction with "fun". I think that's what everyone is trying to convey to you. It's not the grammar that's wrong, is the nuances or moods of the two words together.

As for Americans sounding weird when they say they are going to THE hospital, well, we think Brits sound weird when they say they are simply going to hospital. As if the hospital is a country -- like going to France. ;P After all, we go the THE movies. You go to the cinema, I believe, but it still gets a "the", right? You're not going to cinema?
Damian London EC2   Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:53 am GMT
Well, Uriel, you have merely illustrated the sheer inconsistency and irregularity of our adorable Language - in so many ways the English Language pretty much reflects similar vicissitudes in the overall character of the nation which gave birth to it in the first place....it's little wonder that England's* close neighbours, the French, have historically referred to English people as perfidious...that sums it up I reckon.

*Directed specifically at the English in "L'Albion Perfide!" Traditionally and historically Scotland and France have had a very close alliance and each time our Scottish Rugby team and its Scottish supporters go over to France there is always a special kind of welcome for them there.