Am I wrong again...?
Am I wrong again...?
"We had not forgotten that two years ago we were ignored." Shouldn't this read "two years earlier"? I see this construction a lot. It seems to me that from the point of view of the past, the word 'ago' is inappropriate. Opinions?
By all I read here, and by what my gut reaction tells me, ago seems completely appropriate in this case.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
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- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:58 pm
- Location: Carolinia Agrestícia: The Forest Primeval
Either or either, but 'earlier' looks slightly more elegant to my ears. Agreed it is context-dependent, but actually 'ago' is in one sense more vague, begging the question whether two years before now, or two years before the time in the context, whereas 'earlier' seems to nail down the point of reference.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:58 pm
- Location: Carolinia Agrestícia: The Forest Primeval
Ah, well then perhaps you didn't mean to beg opinions ?*Thank you for your interest, but I still think that 'ago' means 'prior to this utterance.' Consider this:
"Everyone rose when Mr. Churchill entered the room. Two year ago that would have been unlikely."
Incidentally, Sluggo, I don't think you mean 'begging the question'...
As the Black Knight, then, we shall call it a draw.
*the original query was proffered some 2 months ago; however should we revisit this current exchange in a year, we would speak of the original as having taken place two months earlier than (I'd prefer prior to) the subject (this exchange), but 14 months ago. Different reference points.
Strangely, I was the only opinionator to agree with your original premise. I'm still in the same place six weeks later.
opinions- the first one's free...
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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