frankie
Bronze
Can't wait till Motor GP!!
Posts: 89
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Post by frankie on Apr 30, 2009 14:34:12 GMT
I actually have a question about English!
Today I was writing in my book, and I used i.e (I can't remember what I was writing) and it got me thinking about what it means. I know how to use it and when, but I can't figure out what language it is or why we use it.
Thinking about this also got me onto thinking about e.g. as well. I don't know what they both mean, does anyone?
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Post by Pete on Apr 30, 2009 15:44:01 GMT
i.e. is id est, Latin for 'that is'. So I might say, "someone has to cook dinner tomorrow, i.e. me." What I mean is "someone has to cook dinner tomorrow, that is, me."
e.g. is exempli gratia, Latin for 'for example'. Thus, "there are several species of bird in my garden, e.g. sparrows, parrots and emus".
Does that make sense?
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frankie
Bronze
Can't wait till Motor GP!!
Posts: 89
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Post by frankie on Apr 30, 2009 16:35:14 GMT
Yes, that makes seance.
Thank you it has been bugging me all day, Lol.
Why would you have an emu in your garden? lol.
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Post by Sue M-V on Apr 30, 2009 16:47:41 GMT
Why would you have an emu in your garden? It's a medium emu. It's come for the seance. I hope that makes sense! Sue (making a joke!) Paul will delete this now, as totally off-topic! |
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Post by SusanB on Apr 30, 2009 16:55:48 GMT
Why would you have an emu in your garden? lol. E.g. to confuse the cats? |
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Post by Dr Mildr on Apr 30, 2009 17:53:08 GMT
And (at least it's my preference) if you use e.g. to give some examples from a list, the list shouldn't be complete (as it often seems to be).
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Post by Pete on May 3, 2009 10:58:58 GMT
And (at least it's my preference) if you use e.g. to give some examples from a list, the list shouldn't be complete (as it often seems to be). Absolutely, I agree. If the list is complete, then i.e., not e.g., is to be preferred. |
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Post by Pete on May 3, 2009 10:59:44 GMT
Yes, that makes seance. Thank you it has been bugging me all day, Lol. Why would you have an emu in your garden? lol. Sorry, been off-line for a day or two. He makes great sausages and steaks, does our emu! |
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Post by Paul Doherty on May 3, 2009 17:02:26 GMT
Paul will delete this now, as totally off-topic! I'll let you off -- this time -- with a hard stare, Sue. I might say, "someone has to cook dinner tomorrow, i.e. me." What I mean is "someone has to cook dinner tomorrow, that is, me." Don't know if I quite agree with that. "You" is surely an example if "someone", not an explanation of it, so it makes more sense to say "someone has to cook dinner tomorrow, e.g. me". A better example of i.e. would be "the house owner has to cook dinner tomorrow, i.e. me". |
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Post by Dave on May 3, 2009 20:47:45 GMT
A better example of i.e. would be "the house owner has to cook dinner tomorrow, i.e. me". Or I.  |
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Post by Tone on May 13, 2009 20:04:13 GMT
>Absolutely, I agree. If the list is complete, then i.e., not e.g., is to be preferred. <
Ah, but the snag there is if you have forgotten one (from your thought of "complete") you've thereby excluded it because your "i.e." is exclusive!
So, careless use of "i.e" (as it is so often nowaday wrongly used in ignorance for "e.g.") will produce a perhaps unwished for total exclusion of all similar things.
Tone
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