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The Usage of Dash

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Optimus  #125747  Wed, 10 Aug 05 08:51 PM
Hello.

I'm trying to use a dash in a setence to emphasize "even if you hate her guts."
 
A. I want you to spend some time with her--even if you hate her guts.
B. I want you--even if you hate her guts--to spend some time with her.
C. I want you to--even if you hate her guts--spend some time with her.

I know A sounds natural, but would you say the structures of B and C are flawed?
If you could accept B or C, which one would you prefer? Would there be a subtle difference in meaning?

Thank you

  
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MrPedantic  #125769  Wed, 10 Aug 05 09:56 PM

Hello Optimus

B and C put the emphasis on 'spending some time with her'. The split infinitive in C gives an impression of 'sudden self-interruption', as of a sudden realization. A puts the emphasis on 'hating her guts'.

Let's say I'm talking to my son about his mother, who has run off with the chap who came to install some double glazing.

Sentence A suggests that 'hating her guts' is understandable, but nonetheless, he'd better spend some time with her. Sentences B and C suggest that 'spending some time with her' is the right thing to do; the 'hating her guts' is acknowledged, but made to seem less important.

By the way, if you're having any double glazing installed, watch out for a big burly chap with a white van. The *^£%^+>.

MrP

  
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davkett  #125770  Wed, 10 Aug 05 09:57 PM
Only A is good.
  
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davkett  #125771  Wed, 10 Aug 05 10:00 PM

Would you consider?:

Even if you hate her guts, I want you to spend some time with her.

  
MrPedantic  #125780  Wed, 10 Aug 05 10:15 PM

Yes; to my mind, that seems to downgrade the guts-hating even further.

But it's only the way I hear it! The more ears the merrier, in cases like this.

MrP

  
Optimus  #125781  Wed, 10 Aug 05 10:23 PM
Thank you both for the help.Smile [:)]
  
julielai  #125784  Wed, 10 Aug 05 10:23 PM
I agree with Mr. P. The dash (causing a minor interruption in the sentence) and the placing of the guts-hating bit at the end of the sentence really draw my attention to it.
  
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