|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
|
OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
I overheard a gentleman today exclaiming how he was sehr zufrieden with the contract he'd beaten out of his employers that day. Now, I have never used 'very' with 'satisfied' before; it just doesn't sound right to me. I'd say 'completely', or 'entirely' instead of 'very'. And checking the archives, it turns out that 'very satisfied' has only been used once before on the board. That's no surprise I hear you saying! Anyway, is it wrong?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
A lot of expressions with "very" don't give exact meaning that including "much" or "little"
would give.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
"I am completely satisfied that he is entirely dead," the doctor pronounced.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
I think, BY, very satisfying is much more common than very satisfied. The former I usually say or hear as I'm satisfied or I'm greatly satisfied. But in a future tense, I do tend to use I can be or I could be very satisfied with those results. Which just shows I'm hard to please, which makes this all a moot point, huh?  
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
is it wrong?
Yes, I think it is, belligerent one - or at least awkward.
Very happy, maybe, but completely satisfied.
Something to do with the difference between adjectives and verbs, perhaps?
Very delighted doesn't really work either, for instance.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
My Websters II has this usage note:
When functioning as an adjective, a form such as encouraged or pleased may be modified by very alone (a very tired child); a very interested audience). When a term functions as a past participle in a verb phrase, the appropriate modifier is very much (has been very much praised by the critics; was very much enlightened by your explanation). Thre are many borderline cases, however, where either modifier may occur, as in was very (much) mistaken.; was very (much) distressed.
Now this doesn't really answer the question, but I'm a pretty good writer and I would not interchange very and completely only for the reason that very satisfied and completely satisfied are not the same thing. Completely is an absolute. Very is comparitive. Very happy leaves room for improvement on the level of happinenss.
TEd
TEd
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
Completely is an absolute. Very is comparitive. Very happy leaves room for improvement on the level of happinenssYou're definitely right there, TEd - the meanings are significantly different. However, I still think that very satisfied doesn't work. If you wanted a comparative phrase, "quite satisfied", "fairly satisfied" or "pretty satisfied" would all be fine, but I can't think of an equivalent at the "very" end of the scale. It is the end of a long day, however. A curiosity, this. Nice one, BY 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
I received a B on my final in Physics -- I was very satisfied, considering how little I studied for it. (more than quite, but not completely)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
Then, too, very can be intesified to a greater degree by emphasis when spoken, implying an even greater degree of satisfaction.
She was very satisfied with the size of her Christmas bonus.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
<mumble mumble> very <mumble mumble> Ha! <mumble mumble> not at all more like, for me <mumble mumble> just doesn't sound right <mumble mumble> not that I'm crotchety or anything, but <mumble mumble>How about extremely satisfied? Eh? Eh? Oh, alright then. You win.
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,423
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
1,136
guests, and
3
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
