need your help

Forums: Esl, English, Grammar, Learning English, Efl
Email this Topic • Print this Page

can anyone tell me if 'mutual exchange' is (an) Chinglish (phrase).
ps.i am not sure whether i should use the words in brackets in the above sentence.
thanks a lot

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 2,834 • Replies: 39

[+3] - Setanta - 12/14/2010Alright . . . you would not use "an" before the word Chinese. "An" is the indefinite article used only before words which begin with a vowell. Before the word...

View best answer, chosen by westwind

No, there is no reason to assume that that is "Chinglish."

1 Reply

@Setanta,

you mean it is also used by naive English speakers?

0 Replies

Yes . . . it's not a stock phrase, but neither is it an unusual construction. The word "mutual" can be reasonably used in a phrase combining it with any activity or attitude which might characterize two people.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

thanks for responding !

0 Replies

You're welcome. I think that you will find that there will always be members here who are willing to answer your questions about English usage.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

that would be good news for members like me who want to learn English.
to be honest, i have many many many questions to ask.
could you help me with the words in brackets

0 Replies

Alright . . . you would not use "an" before the word Chinese. "An" is the indefinite article used only before words which begin with a vowell. Before the word "Chinese," you would use the indefinite article "a." Phrase is the appropriate word to use to describe "mutual exchange." By the way, those words are enclosed in parentheses, not brackets. Parentheses look like this: ( ). Brackets look like this: [ ].

2 Replies

@Setanta,

Quote:

"An" is the indefinite article used only before words which begin with a vowell[sic]

"used only before words which begin with a vowell"[sic] should read "used only before words which begin with a vowel sound.

0 Replies

@Setanta,

I am sorry. ''An' is an input error and i failed to make myself clear. My question is: I'd like to know which sentence below is right.
Can anyone tell me if 'mutual exchange' is a Chinglish phrase.
Or, can anyone tell me if 'mutual exchange' is Chinglish .
If both ok, is there any difference?
Anyway, thanks for brackets

1 Reply

@westwind,

Can anyone tell me if 'mutual exchange' is a Chinglish phrase?
Can anyone tell me if 'mutual exchange' is Chinglish?

Both are fine examples of English, Westwind. There is no difference that I can discern as I view them as standalone sentences. If these were used in real life situations, there may be a reason to choose one over the other, but since there exists man many potential situations, I can't possibly make that kind of judgment.

1 Reply

@JTT,

I got it. Thanks a lot.

1 Reply

@westwind,

Isn't the word "mutual" redundant in the phrase "mutual exchange"?

3 Replies

@contrex,

Yes, I suppose. But you do see it used a lot that way.

You also hear about bipartisan agreements.

1 Reply

@contrex,

Quote:

Isn't the word "mutual" redundant in the phrase "mutual exchange"?

Are exchanges between parents and children always mutual; between two countries; between husband and wife, between ... ?

1 Reply

@JTT,

JTT wrote:

Quote:
Isn't the word "mutual" redundant in the phrase "mutual exchange"?

Are exchanges between parents and children always mutual; between two countries; between husband and wife, between ... ?

Mutually beneficial sometimes. I have discovered that the phrase has a specific meaning in Britain. The term mutual exchange relates to the government assisted social housing sector in the UK. Many tenants of this type of housing have a right to swap homes with other such tenants in a "mutual exchange" of tenancies. Otherwise it sounds awkward to me.

1 Reply

@contrex,

Quote:

Mutually beneficial sometimes.

And sometimes not, which leads the unmistakable conclusion that it is neither redundant nor awkward.

"awkward" is a catch-all for those who aren't willing to expend the gray matter to think through the complexities of language.

Quote:

Otherwise it sounds awkward to me.

As The Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English states, paraphrased, native speakers are not very good when it comes to analyzing their language and describing common usage.

1 Reply

@JTT,

A vain and fatuous remark...

JTT wrote:

"awkward" is a catch-all for those who aren't willing to expend the gray matter to think through the complexities of language.

... which finally made me decide to return you to my ignore list.

1 Reply

@contrex,

You really are a dumb ****, Contrex. You first claim, it's redundant, then you post a response wherein you contradict that claim. I prove to you that your idea that it is redundant is the fatuous one, you agree, then decide on a different tack; now it's "awkward", which really says nothing at all, it doesn't offer anything to an EFL or a native speaker by way of making an informed choice.

My comment was perfectly apt. The proof, you run, this time all the way to Ignore. Don't let the screen door hit you.

1 Reply

'Tis the season of goodwill to all men. Or so they say.

0 Replies

need your help

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know