Fine Tune your English language for Success
You greeted me with, "I am nice to meet you " ?
- Note the differences 1. Using
passive adverb forms with a gerund creates tricky subtle meaning shifts.
- I am nice to meet. Means: everyone who meets me finds me nice. = I am likable. The first person singular form is considered bragging about yourself, self-centered praise, arrogant and rude (in a cocky way). There is no place for a subject in the first person because of the reflexive nature of the verb "to be". So tacking on an intended subject pronoun or noun is a glaring grammatical error.
- We are nice to meet. The first person plural is grammatically identical to the singular form, however there is a subtle shift in meaning. The reflexive nature of "to be" shifts the subject to the self included group, to which "we" refers, so the meaning shifts to group praise often a morale booster (useful for a manager) or as group promotion (such as in advertising) socially acceptable not rude.
- You are nice to meet. Here in the second person singular and plural forms, all the g incomplete without it.
At times I can be:
Note the differences 1. Using passive adverb forms with a gerund creates tricky subtle meaning shifts.
- I am nice to meet. Means: everyone who meets me finds me nice. = I am likable. The first person singular form is considered bragging about yourself, self-centered praise, arrogant and rude (in a cocky way). There is no place for a subject in the first person because of the reflexive nature of the verb "to be". So tacking on an intended subject pronoun or noun is a glaring grammatical error.
- We are nice to meet. The first person plural is grammatically identical to the singular form, however there is a subtle shift in meaning. The reflexive nature of "to be" shifts the subject to the self included group, to which "we" refers, so the meaning shifts to group praise often a morale booster (useful for a manager) or as group promotion (such as in advertising) socially acceptable not rude.
- You are nice to meet. Here in the second person singular and plural forms, all the grammar is the same creating a delightfully attractive message that means exactly the same thing, with its implied subject "you", as the more passive first person form.
- It is nice to meet you. This form requires the subject pronoun or noun and is grammatically incomplete without it.
Recent Comments
9
As a writer, published author, and professional editor, I was pleased with this post. Well crafted tutorial on some of the subtleties of the English language.
Thank you James very necessary in an English language lead organization in a global community.
It is wonderful and very educational to read your work, James!
( A truth, and most likely, grammatically correct)! ☺
Is your English the best?
Let me know more of this would help.
Ask for help understand your tricky phrases.
Do you have helpful suggestions for me?
Thank for sharing :-))
Al (for Tania)