Sharonbee
Tell the Difference

Can you tell what the difference is between the two sentences for comparison down below?

1. "Miss Lee is an <em>English </em>teacher." versus "Elizabeth is an English <em>teacher</em>."

2. "This is a <em>green</em>house." versus "This is a green <em>house</em>."

3. "Mr. Brown is a <em>woman </em>doctor." versus "She is a woman <em>doctor</em>."

 

I have no doubt if there is any difference here; just being curious about its importance in spoken English.

I wonder how many native English speakers can tell the meanings just by its intonation.

Is it clear enough for you to understand what it really means in conversations when I put emphasis on the italic, bold words?

 

Thanks for your joining the disscusion.

 

Oct 13, 2015 3:22 AM
Comments · 7
3

As to the 'English teacher' line, most people would initially assume it refers to someone who teaches English, regardless of the stress on whichever word. Only by reiterating, and making a very strong stress on the word "teacher," might someone eventually perceive that you mean a teacher who is from England.

 

For 'greenhouse/green house,' the different meanings would be more easily perceived by stressing the bolded words. Additionally, "greenhouse" is said rapidly as a single word, while "green house" will have a slight natural pause in between the two words, making the difference in meaning crystal clear.

 

For "woman doctor," the automatic assumption would be 'a woman who is a doctor', regardless of stress, because that phrase is NEVER used to refer to a doctor who specializes in treating women. It just doesn't exist as a part of the English vernacular. Something similar might be "gynecologist," for example, but never "woman doctor." Thus, the only meaning anyone would consider would be as a doctor who is a woman.

October 13, 2015
1

I think, aside from the excellent point made by the previous responders the meaning of these phrases when either spoken or written (apart from "Greenhouse" / green house) would be determined contextually.

Of the three examples only the first really has any chance of occurring during conversation and most people would avoid the confusion naturally by saying either;

 

"Miss Lee is an English teacher" or "Elizabeth is a teacher from England"

 

At least that is my opinion on it. :)

October 13, 2015

Thanks for your opinions, Diego.

 

So far, could I say that the intonation is not that much important when we speak English?

 

October 13, 2015

Thank you so much for the interpretations, Dave G. You made them detailed and clear.

 

I think that "Mr. Brown is a gynecologist" and "She is a female doctor" are useful and colloquial words. Thanks, aegis.

October 13, 2015

For 3., I think this would be more common:

3. "Mr. Brown is a gynecologist." versus "She is a female doctor."

October 13, 2015
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