Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#209960 03/11/13 12:31 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 41
L
newbie
OP Offline
newbie
L
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 41
If you win / won 1 million dollars, please give me some.

Which bold word should I use? Thanks.


Last edited by Lionel Koh; 03/11/13 12:32 AM.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
I'd say: If I won a million dollars please give it to me.

This would imply that somebody said you had won the million dollars, and now you want to get paid.

Using win would imply that it might happen in the future.

If I win a million dollars, I am going to live in France.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
I am going somewhere there is no snow.


----please, draw me a sheep----
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
I'd say: If I won a million dollars please give it to me.

But if you won a million dollars would you give some to me?
( for a train ticket to come visit you in France f.i.?) cool

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
But if you won a million dollars would you give some to me?

But of course.

(for a train ticket to come visit you in France f.i.?)

How did you know I was thinking of moving to France? I work with a fellow who left Paris to work and live in Sunnyvale. I spent two years working in and commuting to Sunnyvale, and I would rather live in Philadelphia or Emden.


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Originally Posted By: zmjezhd

If I win a million dollars, I am going to live in France.

Ah, so this was just an example. Well, Paris is France but France isn't Paris.

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Well, Paris is France but France isn't Paris.

I would probably live out in the provinces. Paris is a nice place to visit but not necessarily where I would want to live. (Oh, all right if somebody gave me an apartment in Paris, Id use it as a ]i]pied-à-terre[/i].


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
... was in 1954. I've visited La Belle France many times since, but have absolutely no desire to re-visit that lovely city inhabited by rather unlovely people. The oinhabitants of the rest of France are, by and large, excellent and ffriendly people.
(One might well say all that about London, too! - I was born on London's outskirts, but have emigrated 'up North' and try to avoid visits to the captal as far as possible!)


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
One could say the same is true of the
very busy residents of New York City.


----please, draw me a sheep----
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
... and probably of all Capital cities (except Oslo, of course!)


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8
One could say the same is true of the
very busy residents of New York City.


Somebody once ran a test of willingness of people to help out someone in need. They ran the test in New York City and Memphis. They had someone stopping pedestrians and asking for a small sum of money for a good purpose. The good citizens of Memphis were much more willing to help out than were the citizens of NYC. Then they figured that maybe they weren't playing on a level playing field since the NYCers would have many more demands upon their generosity. So they seeded the Memphis crowd with beggars that the Memphis folks would have to pass by before meeting the target. The NYC folks did far better than the Memphis folk in this adjusted test.

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
I'll bite, why not Oslo?


----please, draw me a sheep----
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
I notice that the original question has only been answered partially.

saying:
if you win 1 million dollars, please give me some
This definitely and correctly refers to a future possibility.

saying:
if you won 1 million dollars, please give me some
the phrase refers to a past fact, i.e. the beggar has been told that you won.
The other possibility is the past subjunctive mood. In that case the first part of the sentence would refer to a hypothetical (irreal) possibility (like "if I were a rich man") - and your original second part would not fit it, as Branshea correctly remarked.

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
You win, wsieber. You won my heart with this one.
But if, for example, I won 1 million dollars I will not give you none. smile

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8
I'll bite, why not Oslo?


I guess you have to live there to really understand. The capital of Norway is just one fair-sized provincial town and has no real sense of urgency. It's a nice place, if a bit boring! Mind you, it may have changed since I was there, which was quite a while ago!


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,916
Likes: 2
Originally Posted By: Rhubarb Commando
Originally Posted By: LukeJavan8
I'll bite, why not Oslo?


I guess you have to live there to really understand. The capital of Norway is just one fair-sized provincial town and has no real sense of urgency. It's a nice place, if a bit boring! Mind you, it may have changed since I was there, which was quite a while ago!



Gotch'a thanks.


----please, draw me a sheep----
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,322
Members9,182
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 517 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,535
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5