No, No,X11. I guess you Share

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rishonly

#171082 Sat, 17 Dec 05 11:21 PM

No, No,X11. I guess you misunderstood my notion. I basically intenteded to get opinion from the forum members who have contributed a lot to this forum. Sorry, if it offended you.

rishonly

Joined on Sat, Mar 5 2005

KUMBAKONAM,INDIA

Contributing Member (1,781)

Regards, Krish

X11

#171085 Sat, 17 Dec 05 11:26 PM

It did not offend me at all mate. not at all Smile [:)] I knew what you meant so I just wanted to tease you a little Stick out tongue [:P]

Jay. Chrismas wishes to you

X11

Joined on Tue, Nov 1 2005

Aarhus, Denmark

Full Member (120)

Teahupoo - A Spectacle Beyond Imagination

rishonly

#171102 Sun, 18 Dec 05 12:06 AM

Can any other natives add your comments on this topic?

rishonly

Clive

#171134 Sun, 18 Dec 05 02:05 AM

Hi Jay,

. . . Clive. Your first example does not suggest any disagreement, but what about the original one: I do not share his opinion. Here disagreement occurs. I didn't mean to overstate my case. In many cases, the words can be interchanged. However, I do not share his opinion still seems to me to suggest a fairly amiable difference of views. Perhaps it's a subjective thing.

Furthermore, when speaking of support there does not have to be an disagreement. E.g. I was in favour of both proposals but in the end I ended up only supporting one of them as I had to chose. Well, it seems to me that if there are two proposals and you consider them' for some time' and in the end you 'had to choose' between them, there was in a sense contention.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (22,565)

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

Danyoo

#171141 Sun, 18 Dec 05 02:49 AM

Rishonly wrote:
Hello Teachers,

"I don't share his opinion.I'm against what he said.". While you read this sentence, what would you consider the meaning of 'share'? Shall we use 'support' instead of 'share'?. Personally, my mind doesn't accept the word 'support' in this context. Please suggest.

rishonly, here is my two cents...

In your example, share simply means having the same opinion. "I don't have the same opinion as John. I am against what he said." This is okay...and your original sentence is okay.

If you used 'support', it would read "I don't support John's opinion. I am against what he said." This is okay too...but support is more of an ACTIVE agreement. You don't merely agree...you are actually doing something to support John's opinion. You could provide further examples, evidences or take action to convince others why John's opinions should be accepted.

Now having said that, it is to be noted that even if you agree with someone, you may not take an active supporting role. For example, you may agree with Mary's opinion that the test the class just took was very difficult but you may do anything about it. But if you supported it, you would go with Mary and talk to the teacher.

So you can say something like:
--I agree with Mary but I am not going to support her.
--I share Mary's opinion, but I am not going to support her.

Hope this helps.

Danyoo

Joined on Fri, Nov 11 2005

Chicago, USA

Regular Member (558)

To err is human, to forgive divine. 잘못을 저지르는 것은 인간이지만 용서할수있는 것은 하늘과 같은것.

CalifJim

#171175 Sun, 18 Dec 05 05:17 AM

My two cents.

1 I don't share his opinion.
2 I don't have the same opinion as he has.
3 I don't support his opinion.

1 and 2 mean exactly the same thing, or as near to the same thing as two different sentences can mean.
3 means something different, and I think what it means is somewhat nonsensical.
An opinion is a belief or judgment. To support, in the definition which most closely fits the context, is to aid the cause of by approving, favoring, or advocating. One may support a war or one may support a charity devoted to curing cancer, and so on, because these are causes. They are undertakings. A belief is not an undertaking. A judgment is not an undertaking. I don't think, therefore, very strictly speaking, that "support an opinion" is a well-formed expression.

Relaxing our standards a bit, we'd have to say that when we "support an opinion", we approve, favor, or advocate it. We are willing to argue in favor of that same belief or judgment.

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,788)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Expressions

Danyoo

#171246 Sun, 18 Dec 05 11:05 AM

Fair enough CJ.

It's amazing how we choose certain words because it just sounds right and seems to fit. But when you dig a little deeper and analyze it, there usually is a good reason!

Danyoo

Diamondrg

#171265 Sun, 18 Dec 05 12:12 PM

CalifJim wrote:
My two cents.

I don't think, therefore, very strictly speaking, that "support an opinion" is a well-formed expression.

then what expression would you use instead of "support an opinion"? Might "be for an opinion" and "be in favo(u)r of an opinion" be correct alternatives?

Diamondrg

Joined on Fri, Dec 2 2005

Turkey

Contributing Member (1,043)

Expressions

CalifJim

#171604 Mon, 19 Dec 05 03:56 AM

I would not use any expression instead of "support an opinion".
I would use "share / not share an opinion" or "agree / not agree with an opinion".

In my opinion, only by accepting somewhat ill-formed expressions could you use "favor an opinion", "support an opinion", or "advocate an opinion". That said, please recognize that I presented a rather purist approach in a previous post, and that in ordinary conversation everybody will know just what you mean if you say "support an opinion".

CJ

CalifJim

Conversations, Expressions

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