"much fun" vs. "a lot of fun"

You have words - now what do you do with them?
dsteve54
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"much fun" vs. "a lot of fun"

Postby dsteve54 » Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:04 pm

A Russian pen pal wrote to me, stating in the course of the narrative:
"I have much fun learning....".

I was trying to explain in Russian why, in this particular context, we say "I have a lot of fun learning" or "I have quite a bit of fun learning", but "I have much fun" is alien. To be honest, I not only could not tell the person why, but I am not even sure if "I have much fun" would "flunk" a syntax test. It probably flunks a usage test.

To compound matters, I then have to explain, why, in a passive construct, we can possibly say, "There was much fun to be had".

Never mind the translation to Russian of an explanation; I can do that. I just would like to understand the underpinings of why one format works and the other doesn't.

It seems to be anchored to the word "fun"...we cannot say "many fun", yet "much fun" can occur. Or maybe the anchor is "much" and what it governs. I am not even sure which is the driving force.......help! (Thanks in advance)
Known in restaurant circles by quasi-Thai moniker, "That Guy" (e.g. heard in the back.."that guy is here again"; "that guy on/at table 10"; "that guy is going for a sirloin again", etc.)

Half the distance in half the states...from half2run.com

Perry
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Postby Perry » Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:28 pm

I hope that someone can give you the answer. I so often find that I know what the correct usage is, without a clue as to why. Other languages are so much more systematic in their grammer.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous

dsteve54
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:26 pm
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Postby dsteve54 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:01 pm

I hope that someone can give you the answer. I so often find that I know what the correct usage is, without a clue as to why. Other languages are so much more systematic in their grammer.
So true....
Well, in particular, it is embarrassing to explain English phonetics, which, unless one is steeped in history, is inexplicable. Try getting someone to say this, if they do not know "what is going on":
"eight",
not to mention countless other counterintutive pronunciations.

And how about 15 vowel "sounds", corresponding to our vowels?

Well, there is simply no accounting for it, in logical terms. But that is language, I suppose.

I also see people from other countries, who might say,
"I had a funily/funnily/"or some other -ily" time".
Well, rats, I can't help it; there "just doesn't seem to be a corresponding adverb at the ready".


Well, as you have mentioned, I hope someone can provide an answer because it is sort of mortifying to just shrug, and say, as if squashing some inquistive child's spirit,
"We-e-ll......just, just, because!!!! That's just the way it is! Now quit asking so many questions and eat your dinner!"
: - (((((((((
Known in restaurant circles by quasi-Thai moniker, "That Guy" (e.g. heard in the back.."that guy is here again"; "that guy on/at table 10"; "that guy is going for a sirloin again", etc.)

Half the distance in half the states...from half2run.com

skinem
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Postby skinem » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:27 am

English is tough.
Some things just are.
Learn them.
Accept them.
Live them.

dsteve54
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Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:26 pm
Location: USA (Fort Collins, Colorado)

Postby dsteve54 » Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:24 pm

English is tough.
Some things just are.
Learn them.
Accept them.
Live them.
I don't know much about haiku, but if it is not already the right meter, you could probably do a tweak here and there and have one. :D
Known in restaurant circles by quasi-Thai moniker, "That Guy" (e.g. heard in the back.."that guy is here again"; "that guy on/at table 10"; "that guy is going for a sirloin again", etc.)

Half the distance in half the states...from half2run.com

skinem
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Posts: 1197
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:33 pm
Location: Middle Tennessee

Postby skinem » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:18 pm

Nah, just the Ernest Hemingway school of writing.

Oh, that and being in a hurry...

dsteve54
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:26 pm
Location: USA (Fort Collins, Colorado)

Postby dsteve54 » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:06 pm

Nah, just the Ernest Hemingway school of writing.

Oh, that and being in a hurry...
That was very cute!
Known in restaurant circles by quasi-Thai moniker, "That Guy" (e.g. heard in the back.."that guy is here again"; "that guy on/at table 10"; "that guy is going for a sirloin again", etc.)

Half the distance in half the states...from half2run.com


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