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calm down

calm down# EnglishChat - 鸟语花香

G*G2007-09-26 07:09

1 楼

please help me with the question I met.
1) She calm down.
2) She calm him down.
in the first sentence, down is modifying the calm, meaning she
calm to a lesser degree.
but in the second sentence,
what is the function of the adverb down?
Which word does 'down' modify, calm or him?

O*e2007-09-26 07:09

2 楼

apparently no one can calm you down.

【在 G***G 的大作中提到】

: please help me with the question I met.
: 1) She calm down.
: 2) She calm him down.
: in the first sentence, down is modifying the calm, meaning she
: calm to a lesser degree.
: but in the second sentence,
: what is the function of the adverb down?
: Which word does 'down' modify, calm or him?

O*e2007-09-26 07:09

3 楼

No, "calm down" is the whole phrasal verb; "down" doesn't mean
"to a lesser degree". If "down" were to mean "to a lesser degree",
you would be able to omit "down" if you didn't want to express
the meaning "to a lesser degree". But you can't omit "down".
The same in both sentences.
"She calmed down." intransitive phrasal verb
"She calmed him down." transitive phrasal verb with pronominal object
"She calmed down the crying baby." transitive phrasal verb with object
"Down" doesn't modify eith

【在 G***G 的大作中提到】

G*G2007-09-26 07:09

4 楼

do you mean a non-verb word of a whole phrasal verb
has no any meaning?
'to a lesser degree' is the explanation in webster dictionary.
I think any word in any language's sentence has its meaning and function.
no meaning or function, no words.

【在 O******e 的大作中提到】

:
: No, "calm down" is the whole phrasal verb; "down" doesn't mean
: "to a lesser degree". If "down" were to mean "to a lesser degree",
: you would be able to omit "down" if you didn't want to express
: the meaning "to a lesser degree". But you can't omit "down".
: The same in both sentences.
: "She calmed down." intransitive phrasal verb
: "She calmed him down." transitive phrasal verb with pronominal object
: "She calmed down the crying baby." transitive phrasal verb with object
: "Down" doesn't modify eith

O*e2007-09-26 07:09

5 楼

Webster: "calm: transitive verb: to make calm -- often used with down"
"down" doesn't always mean "to a lesser degree" or the other usual
meanings of "down" when it is part of a phrasal verb.
"The food was terrible. I had to wash it down with a glass of water."
Here "wash down" means "swallow food with drink".
Okay, so you might say the food went "down" the esophagus.
How about: "He washed down the muddy jeep."
What does "down" mean here? What went down? Water flows down?
It's idiomatic: the

【在 G***G 的大作中提到】

: do you mean a non-verb word of a whole phrasal verb
: has no any meaning?
: 'to a lesser degree' is the explanation in webster dictionary.
: I think any word in any language's sentence has its meaning and function.
: no meaning or function, no words.