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Ootred 春 🍒🍒🍒🍒🍒
What is the difference 'for you' and 'to you' in this context?
What is the difference between 'for you' and 'to you' in this context?*
Mr Stone is talking to Mr Rossetti, Mr Hunt and Mr Millais at an exhibition of paintings.
'Mr Rossetti. I have one piece of advice to you. Learn... to... paint. Mr Hunt and Mr Millais, I have one piece of advice for you. Lose the idiot (Rossetti)!'
https://youtu.be/DyVKkiNE1g0
From the TV show 'Desperate Romantics'.
I know the first 'you' refers to one person, and the second 'you' refers to two people. I want to know why Mr Stone is using two different prepositions.
Thanks.
Jul 30, 2020 6:48 AM
Answers · 11
2
In modern English "I have one piece of advice to you" is strange. .. for you is normal.
I have one piece of advice for you.
I have one piece of advice to give you.
.
July 30, 2020
Yup, it is for dramatic effect. Stone gives a piece of advice while making a bad sentence.
July 31, 2020
No worries, Michael. Now you don't think the little guy plays with words.
July 30, 2020
OK, now I've seen the clip, It's just a non-standard usage by the little guy. I misread your transcription: apologies :( He just makes a slip in the first instance, and corrects himself in the second. This is nothing to copy. (It is a comedy.)
July 30, 2020
You are right, it is definitely what is said. It looks like it is set in, maybe, the late 18th or early 19th century, so the language being used is quite formal and a little antiquated.
It may have been a correct usage then (or maybe even now?), but it would sound very strange to a native speaker these days, I think.
Either "I have a piece of advice to give you", or "I have a piece of advice; to you I say..." Would be correct (the later is quite pompous and may be what he is saying - but truncated).
Personally I would say "for you", or "to give to you". Perhaps, though, someone else has a better understanding of using it in that way?
July 30, 2020
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Ootred 春 🍒🍒🍒🍒🍒
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Japanese
Learning Language
English
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