Dear Americans, Britons, and Australians:
1. If you "push a trip forward", does it mean that:
A) you'll be leaving at a later date
B) you'll be leaving at an earlier date?
2. If you "push a trip back", does it mean that:
A) you'll be leaving at a later date
B) you'll be leaving at an earlier date?
Many thanks for your feedback.
1) B (although I don't really use this expression)
2) A (I do use this expression)
Thanks, mjd. Would any other natives care to comment?
My answer is the same as mjd's.
You know, don't you, Tom, that "natives" and "native speakers" mean two completely different things? I'd agree with mjd. I think "bring a trip forward" is more common. You could also say "put a trip off".
Yeah, I know that, but "native speakers" is just too long.
You mean I could say "put a trip off" to mean "push a trip back"?
I find the usage of "push forward/back" counter-intuitive. Consider this timeline:
NOW--------TRIP---------------------------------------
Now let's change the date of the trip so that we leave at a later date:
NOW---------------------TRIP-----------------------------
As can be easily concluded from comparing the two figures, the trip was pushed FORWARD (i.e. further from NOW). To push it back would mean to bring it closer to NOW (when an object moves back to you, it moves closer to you, not further from you).
"when an object moves back to you, it moves closer to you, not further from you"
But that presupposes that the object was with you (in the present) to begin with and is now on its way back. If that object started off in the distance, then moving it back would be pushing it further away from you, while moving it forward would be moving it closer to you.
If you consider the present to be the starting point in your timeline, then pushing a trip forward would be pushing it toward the starting point:
-----------------TRIP-------->
NOW....MARCH....APRIL....MAY
(Your trip is schedule for April)
--------TRIP----------------->
NOW....MARCH....APRIL....MAY
(You push your trip forward, closer to the present)
-------------------------TRIP-->
NOW....MARCH....APRIL....MAY
(You push the trip back, further away from the present)
Who would have thought it? Forward and back meaning the same thing in a phrase.
I'm sorry, but I still don't get it.
When we look forward, we look into the future, don't we?
Why should pushing be any different?
How about good old 'postpone' when talking about going on a trip later than planned?
Good idea, but what verb do I use when talking about leaving EARLIER than planned?
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary suggests 'put forward' - move something to an earlier time or date.
OK, how about a phrase that doesn't contain the word "forward"?
Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 23:34 GMT