Taka  +  351530 Mon, 16 Apr 07 03:31 PM We human beings begin to speak when we are about one year old. And when we become four or five years old, we become able to express ourselves somehow. As I've become a parent of a child and now watch him growing, I've come to think this is wonderful. Now, a student of mine used 'barely' instead of 'somehow' as: We human beings begin to speak when we are about one year old. And when we become four or five years old, we become able to barely express ourselves. As I've become a parent of a child and now watch him growing, I've come to think this is wonderful. Do you native speakes think that her composition has the same 'air' as the original with her 'barely'? Taka Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004 Japan Senior Member 2,625

	Marius Hancu  +  351532 Mon, 16 Apr 07 03:40 PM No. we become able to express ourselves somehow means we can express ourselves in one manner or another, in some way we become able to barely express ourselves means we have a very limited/incipient capability in that sense Marius Hancu Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006 Veteran Member 11,673

	Grammar Geek  +  351539 Mon, 16 Apr 07 03:48 PM No, it's not at all the same! At four or five, many children are incredibly articulate. They do not struggle to communicate, so to say that they "barely" express themselves is not accurate. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,650 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!

	Taka  +  351573 Mon, 16 Apr 07 04:40 PM Glad my intuiton was right; I didn't think it was the same either. Thank you both! (So GG, your interpretaion of 'barely' is the same as MM, something 'limited'?) Taka

	Marius Hancu  +  351576 Mon, 16 Apr 07 04:43 PM I mentioned limit, because something which exists/performs/etc barely, it exists/performs/etc at the very limit of existing/performing, by the narrowest of margins: -------- barely    Function:adverb Etymology:Middle English, from 1bare + -ly 1 : by the narrowest margin <barely escaped injury> : lacking any excess : with nothing to spare : SCARCELY, HARDLY <barely enough food to sustain life> 2 : SCANTILY, MEAGERLY, PLAINLY <a barely furnished room> http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com ----------- My English-Japanese dictionary shows for barely: mukidashi ni, wazukani, karojite Marius Hancu Verbs, Adverbs

	Taka  +  351589 Mon, 16 Apr 07 05:05 PM  Marius Hancu wrote: My English-Japanese dictionary shows for barely: mukidashi ni, wazukani, karojite What a surprise! You have an English-Japanese dictionary. Are you Japanese? Or are you just interested in Japanese? Anyway, if you have some knowledge about Japanese, I tell you what the problem is. Many English-Japanse dictionaries show for 'barely': yatto, nantokashite. However, both Japanese words can be used not only as 'at the very limit of...' as you say, but also as 'somehow, in some way', which is the problem when it comes to translation. I think this is one of those cases where the direct translation doesn't really work. Taka Translation

	Marius Hancu  +  351605 Mon, 16 Apr 07 05:26 PM I lived two years in Tokyo (Kokubunji), some time ago. I've lost the language, unfortunately, lack of practice. There are many Japanese in Montreal "Just a touch" is also similar to "barely." Marius Hancu