Did I...?

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Taka

#223102 Sat, 06 May 06 06:30 PM

Mr.A: Did I see the greatest concert ever!
Mr.B: Yes! It was absolutely brilliant!

How do you native speakers interpret Mr.A's 'Did I see...'?　Just an interrogative, or something else?

Taka

Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004

Japan

Senior Member (2,266)

Marius Hancu

#223107 Sat, 06 May 06 06:56 PM

I don't think this is interrogative at all.

It's creating an accent by the inversion: Did I see ....
He indicates that he really liked the concert.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Accents

Clive

#223109 Sat, 06 May 06 06:58 PM

Hi,

I see this as a rhetorical question, a way of saying 'It was a great concert!'

If it were a real question to get Mr. B's opinion, it would be something like 'Do you think that was the greatest concert ever?'

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,191)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

Taka

#223207 Sun, 07 May 06 07:53 AM

Marius Hancu wrote:
I don't think this is interrogative at all.

It's creating an accent by the inversion: Did I see ....
He indicates that he really liked the concert.

Yes, that's what my book says.

But I'm wondering if it sounds, to native speakers, the same inversion as:

Never have I seen such a great concert.

or it sounds a sort of interrogative, as Clive says...

Taka

Accents

CalifJim

#223211 Sun, 07 May 06 08:01 AM

They don't sound the same to me.
Never have I seen ... is inversion for the sake of the pre-posed negative.
Did I ... is inversion for the sake of a question - albeit used as an exclamation.

I've heard that formula quite often with an "ever" up front:

Did I ever enjoy that!

And often without the continuation as an emphatic affirmative response to a real question.

-- Did you enjoy the concert?
-- Did I ever!!!

-- Did he eat all the cake?
-- Did he ever!!!

-- Did she finally get up the courage to tell off the boss?
-- Did she ever!!!

(The expression And how!!! is an equivalent to Did ... ever!!!)

CJ