18,000 feared buried in city near epicenter

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Osee

#513307 Tue, 13 May 08 10:59 PM

The title line comes from a report about China earthquake. May you tell me what "feared" means here? Thanks.

Osee

Joined on Mon, Jan 8 2007

Canada

Regular Member (653)

I'm not a native English speaker; if you happen to be helped by me, I am sorry. :)

Vorpar

#513339 Wed, 14 May 08 12:26 AM

I think the main point is that they don't know if any of them are still alive. I also read it as though they don't know how many people (if any) are actually buried in the rubble.

It's a literal use of the word "fear". It's a scary thing when your fellow man could be suffering (or dead!)

Vorpar

Joined on Tue, Sep 20 2005

Santa Barbara, CA

Regular Member (722)

CalifJim

#513344 Wed, 14 May 08 12:59 AM

[It is feared / People fear / People are afraid] that 18,000 (people) are buried in (the) city near (the) epicenter (of the earthquake).

to be afraid that or to fear that is used to present unpleasant news that is cause for concern or worry, even though the news does not actually frighten anyone.

I'm afraid that you have failed the exam.

I fear that all of them have been lost at sea.

I'm afraid that we won't be able to take the vacation we had planned.

In newspaper headlines feared often occurs with this meaning before a past participle or adjective indicating something unfortunate.

feared dead, feared lost, feared missing, feared killed, feared murdered, feared buried, feared drowned

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (16,009)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Osee

#513425 Wed, 14 May 08 06:24 AM

Which of the following is right?

18,000 IS feared buried in city near epicenter

18,000 feared IS buried in city near epicenter

Osee

khoff

#513432 Wed, 14 May 08 07:20 AM

18,000 are feared buried inthe city near the epicenter.

18,000 people are feared (to be) buried in the city near the epicenter.

18,000 people are assumed to be buried in the city near the epicenter.

It is feared that 18,000 people are buried....

(Note -- it does not mean that 18,000 people were afraid of being buried (although they probably were!). It means that someone else is afraid that perhaps 18,000 people are buried.)

khoff

Joined on Sun, Mar 6 2005

Denver, Colorado, USA, Earth

Senior Member (2,450)

Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)

Pter

#513459 Wed, 14 May 08 09:28 AM

OFF TOPIC:

While you are discussing this, I appeal to you to make donation to help those who have lost their loved ones and their homes. The earthquake in Sichuan two days ago is the biggest earthquake in China since the 1972 Tangshang earthquake. The death toll from the Sichuan earthquake is estimated to be 12,000 so far. The final figure could be higher after the rescue teams arrive at the hardest hit areas to confirm. I am deeply saddened by this devastating tragedy.

Pter

Joined on Wed, Nov 28 2007

Hong Kong

Full Member (416)

khoff

#514034 Thu, 15 May 08 02:48 PM

Pter -- thank you for reminding us that headlines are not just examples of grammar to be analysed, but represent real tragedies happening to real people. Sometimes we need that reminder!

khoff

Grammar

Osee

#514220 Fri, 16 May 08 12:07 AM

Hi Khoff, by your first sentence, feared seems to be an adverb, by the second, it like a adjective? Can you explain this contradiction? Thanks.

khoff

18,000 are feared buried inthe city near the epicenter.

18,000 people are feared (to be) buried in the city near the epicenter.

18,000 people are assumed to be buried in the city near the epicenter.

It is feared that 18,000 people are buried..

(Note -- it does not mean that 18,000 people were afraid of being buried (although they probably were!). It means that someone else is afraid that perhaps 18,000 people are buried.)

Osee

Verbs, Adverbs

Osee

#514222 Fri, 16 May 08 12:18 AM

Thanks a lot, Pter. I am a Chinese too. Many Chinese students in Canada have donated to Canadian Red Cross.

Here are some astonshing information about this earthquake and its aftershocks:

More than 19,000 have died. The number of death is estimated to be 50,000. There have been far more than 2300 aftershocks since the quake, 14 of which were over 5 magnitude. The aftershocks might keep on happening for 1 or 2 months.

Osee

Numbers

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