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Alexander
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 Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject: What / How do you mean? |
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Nikita
In your opinion, as an IH pro, what's more common:
1. What do you mean?
2. How do you mean?
PLS don't use the Net to find the number of occurrences. That's not the
case. 
Sincerely,
Alexander |
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nikita
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Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 134
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:20 pm Post subject: What / How do you mean? |
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Hello,
I do believe that the only proper version is "what do you mean?".
In classic English you must say "What do you call ...?", but still quite a lot of people say "How do you call...?". Actually, in standart English "How do you call ...?" should be answered as, for example, "quickly, loudly, friendly" etc.
That's how I see it. All comments are looked forward and much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Nikita Kovalyov
http://www.eclecticenglish.com/
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Alexander
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:21 pm Post subject: What / How do you mean? |
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Well, in OED, "what do you mean" is given, but, I came across 'How do you mean', with this very verb, much more often. In American movies, yes. Though the Internet contains more refs to "What". ..
Sincerely,
Alexander |
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nikita
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Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 134
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| Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:53 pm Post subject: Re: What / How do you mean? |
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| Quote: | | In American movies, yes. |
Yes, certainly. But this is colloquial (informal, spoken) English, isn't it? Surely, it's absolutely fine to use it. It's just nice to feel the difference in style (register). So, it's generally up to you which form to choose.
Nikita Kovalyov
www.eclecticenglish.com |
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