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submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by ParabolicMotion@lemmy.world to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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[-] merc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago

The annoying thing is that "I'll go to work tomorrow" and "I'm going to go to work tomorrow" have subtly different meanings to English speakers, but good luck trying to come up with a rule to explain the difference to someone learning the language.

[-] 0ops@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago

You know, that's a good example, you have a good point. In some contexts they are slightly different. I'll take a wack at describing the difference though: "I'll go to work tomorrow" sounds like making a decision out loud, in the moment, while "I'm going to go to work tomorrow" just sounds like communicating intentions, regardless of when the decision was made or whether they were the ones to make it. In this context "I'm going to go" can substitute "I'll go", but the reverse might sound weird. So I concede but only a little

this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2024
385 points (91.0% liked)

Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The best ones are thoughts that many people can relate to and they find something funny or interesting in regular stuff.

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