A task from matura

[mattt15]

Hello,
I would like to ask you (just out of curiosity, because I'm 15 and
haven't taken matura yet) if the following sentence is correct:
2.4 I prefer staying dirty to washing in that water
(RATHER)
I would stay dirty rather than wash in that water.

I know that in the key, there is "I would rather stay drity than..."
(which I would have chosen) but I'm wondering if this form
with "rather than" is also OK...
Can somebody help me ;)?

I'd rather sth than sth.

[quickly]

"I would stay dirty rather than wash in that water."
"I would rather stay dirty than wash in that water."

The second sentence sounds more natural (to me).

That's what my daughter’s (a very naughty girl) used to say: "I
would rather kill myself than go to Poland (on holidays)."

[annise77]

jezzz...ive always been wondering how it is possible that only poles ,who have moved to another country, scorn their own country...

but well, we still have Isis Gee ;P

[quickly]

annise77, don’t jump into conclusions. My daughter was born in
Australia. It takes about 40 hours (all together) to get to Poland
by plane and it’s no fun at all.


“…how it is possible that only poles ,who have moved to another
country, scorn their own country...”
“poles”??? – You naughty, naughty girl... how could you write like
this!

annise77, you should’ve come to Aussieland and hear for yourself
what others have to say about their homelands. Relax... and take it
easy... no need for being nasty...

[annise77]

"poles" whats wrong about that? it is a correct name of a nation.
and besides...i would go on holidays even if it had to take like 50hrs, only if
i wanted to...
id rather kill myslef than go to Mauritius or Australia on my holidays;) trust
me, nobody in their right mind would say that...;P

as for my conclusions, ive met many american italians and american spanish
people, who even born in the states, are proud of their roots and talk about it
openly. unfortunately, i cant say that about most poles living abroad...thats
what i have experienced. maybe im way too
touchy, but in most cases im right.

so, i understand u dont get to visit other countries cos of a huge distance?;)

[perk]

> That's what my daughter’s (a very naughty girl) used to say

That doesn't work.

[perk]

"I would stay dirty..." doesn't mean "I prefer to stay dirty..."
I prefer to stay dirty instead of washing...OK
I prefer to stay dirty rather than wash...hmm, OK.

[mattt15]

> I prefer to stay dirty instead of washing...OK
> I prefer to stay dirty rather than wash...hmm, OK.
'I WOULD prefer to stay dirty' or 'I prefer staying dirty' -there is
no 'to' after 'prefer' alone. You can only write it after "I'd
prefer"
I think that "I would stay dirty rather than..." means "I would
prefer to stay dirty rather than" -both indicate that you want one
thing more than the other one.

[perk]

>'I WOULD prefer to stay dirty' or 'I prefer staying dirty' -there is
>no 'to' after 'prefer' alone.

Of course it's there. I can see it; it's clearly visible from where I am sitting. You'd better have another look.

>You can only write it after "I'd prefer"

Where do you get ideas like that?

>I think that "I would stay dirty rather than..." means "I would
>prefer to stay dirty rather than" -both indicate that you want one
>thing more than the other one.

No, "I would stay dirty rather than..." doesn't mean "I would
prefer to stay dirty rather than..."

If "would stay" meant "would prefer," "stay" would mean "prefer," which is not true.

[paulski]

> If "would stay" meant "would prefer," "stay" would mean "prefer," which is not
> true.
>
LOL.

[mattt15]

> Of course it's there. I can see it; it's clearly visible from
where I am sittin
> g. You'd better have another look.

A frustrated teacher ? :)

> >You can only write it after "I'd prefer"
>
> Where do you get ideas like that?

Well, you can use infinitive after 'prefer' (which is much less
likely), but it places the emphasis more on the results of the
action, whereas gerund emphasises the action itself and implies
enjoyment (or lack of it) [I got this 'idea' from a book
called 'Cambridge Grammar of English']



"Prefer and would rather can be used interchangeably." is an 'idea'
from
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv107.shtml

> If "would stay" meant "would prefer," "stay" would mean "prefer,"
which is not
> true.

Wow! Never have I seen such a clever person! I wouldn't have come
upon such a great idea! You're really brilliant...

[chris-joe]

-I would stay dirty rather than...
-I would rather stay dirty than...

Both versions are cool, both have slightly different emotional charge.

As for annise77: some of us who left the Old Country years ago do prefer
spending our annual holidays in Brazil, Hawaii, or whatever. Without feeling
guilty for not conducting the yearly pilgimage to the land of our ancestors.
May we?
So- peace and piss off, babe.

[annise77]

you may even conduct ur pilgrimage to the hell - i dont care whatsover... u
didnt even comprehend what i meant so stay away from this, will u?
so peace and get a hike, gentelman

Why are you so rude,chris-joe ?

[linea_blu]

[perk]

> -I would stay dirty rather than...
> -I would rather stay dirty than...
>
> Both versions are cool, both have slightly different emotional charge.

That's a doozie.
What kind of emotional charge would that be? Is one more passionate than the other is nostalgic? And which would be which? Or is it "which would prefer to be which"?

Holidays in Africa

[quickly]

annise77 napisała:
> "poles" whats wrong about that?
---
Think about it... What's wrong with russians, americans,
australians...


P.S. I‘ve got a friend who was born on Mauritius but now he’s living
in Australia. He says that one day we may go on holidays over
there. I’ve never been to that part of the world...

annise77, have you ever been to Africa?

Holidays around the world

[quickly]

chris-joe napisał:

> As for annise77: some of us who left the Old Country years ago do
prefer spending our annual holidays in Brazil, Hawaii, or whatever.
Without feeling guilty for not conducting the yearly pilgimage to
the land of our ancestors.
> May we?
-

[annise77]

quickly napisał:

> annise77 napisała:
> > "poles" whats wrong about that?
> ---
> Think about it... What's wrong with russians, americans,
> australians...
>
>
> P.S. I‘ve got a friend who was born on Mauritius but now he’s livin
> g
> in Australia. He says that one day we may go on holidays over
> there. I’ve never been to that part of the world...
>
> annise77, have you ever been to Africa?
>


"poles”??? – You naughty, naughty girl... how could you write like
this! " to o co ci chodzilo? bo już się pogubiłam?

"annise77, have you ever been to Africa?"

byłam w afryce, i w stanach. nie chodzi o prawo do spedzania wakacji, bo sama
chetnie co roku jeżdzę z mezem na wakacje do ciepłych krajów zamiast nad
bałtyk. chodzi o to, ze niepotrzebnie podales przyklad twojej corki. mnie
osobiscie tylko jeden wniosek sie nasunąl po przeczytaniu tego...ze definitywnie
nie chce, i ma do tego prawo. tak jak ja mam prawo powiedziec co mysle, bo razi
mnie takie stawianie sprawy. dlatego podalam przyklady ludzi innych narodowosci.
oni nigdy by tak nie powiedzieli, przynajmniej osoby ktore spotkalam, a bylo ich
wiele. taki jest fakt i nie ma tu co dywagować...

a krzyś joe, chyba rzeczywiscie bardzo dawno temu wyjechal, bo wydaje mu sie ze
ludzie tutaj nadal w komunie zyja, i tylko on sie buja po swiecie i to mu
oczywiscie daje prawo do powiedzenia kobiecie piss off. no coż....komentarz
chyba byłyby tu zbedny....

tyle mojego, nie ma sensu dalej brnąć, bo ja mam takie zadanie a ty inne i
pewnie nikt tego nie zmieni. prawda moze byc jedna, ale czasem lezy po obu
stronach;P
mam nadzieje quickly ze rozumiesz co mialam na mysli.

[chris-joe]

Babe, here's my true confession: last visit to Poland 3 yrs ago, followed by 2
consecutive vacations in South America. Next visit in PL- this coming November,
to be immediately followed by a trip to Egypt (definitely warmer climes for
early Dec and stuff).

Am I forgiven? My undying loyalty to PL reaffirmed? My Polishness restored? :))

(ps. When pissed off, I say piss off to members of both genders, or more.
Fairly and equally.)

I (still) love my holidays in Poland - annise77

[quickly]

Zgodzam sie z Toba.

W wielu dziedzinach Polska poszla do przodu... Moge nawet
zaryzykowac moja subiektywna ocene, ze ten kraj przegonil pod
wieloma wzgledami Australie, ajk rowniez USA i Kanade. Polska
zaczyna byc dla wielu Polakow "umiejacych sie urzadzic" ziemia
obiecana. Wystarczy zobaczyc ich domy, uslyszec gdzie spedzaja
wakacje i jak zyja...

W odroznieniu np. od Japonii czy Australii, Polska to taki biedny
kraj, bogatych ludzi. Dla mojej corki jest to tylko jednak taki
spory europejski kraj pelen pseudo-katolikow i cwaniakow wszelkiej
masci.

Nie chce pisac dalej... Dodam tylko, ze moja corka chodzila w Polsce
do szkoly, za kazdym razem kiedy tam bylismy. Ona chyba najlepiej
moze ocenic "wychowanie" w Polsce i Australii. Zna to wszystko od
podszewki. Nie bede tego komentowac.

Moja corka szczerze nienawidzi Polski i zamieszkalych tam Polakow, i
calego tego bajzlu, ktory tam panuje. Nie cieszy jej widok polsko-
bizantyjskiego blichtru, w ktorym uwielbiaja sie tarzac Polacy. Pod
tym wzgledem (tj. srania wyzej, niz maja dupe) twierdzi, ze tylko
Rosjanie maja wiekszego pier-dol-ca, niz Polacy. Ja osobiscie
chociaz spotkalem wielu normalnych Rosjan, z ktorymi przyjaznie do
tej pory, musze tu przyznac racje mojej corce.