Position of Time Adverbials

Hanako   Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:57 pm GMT
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.
Hanako   Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:59 pm GMT
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?
Guest   Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:22 am GMT
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.
RayH   Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:01 pm GMT
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).