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To trifle away

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Latest post Wed, Nov 21 2007 11:09 PM by Anonymous. 4 replies.
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Anonymous  +  444846 Wed, 21 Nov 07 04:37 PM

Hello, there!

Can you please, take a look at these sentences and see if they are right?

-"Travelling by car? No way! This place is very far. Why not take a jet flight or book a first-class flight once you want to trifle away your money?

- Oh, stop with this kind of talk,please. It won't take us anywhere"    

Thanks,

Sophia
Anonymous
Clive  +  444879 Wed, 21 Nov 07 06:00 PM

Hi,

Can you please, take a look at these sentences and see if they are right?

-"Travelling by car? No way! This place is very far. Why not take a jet flight or book a first-class flight once you want to trifle away your money?

- Oh, stop with this kind of talk,please. It won't take us anywhere"    

Here are some comments.

1. It sounds to me like you mean 'if' instead of 'once'.

2. Where I live, most people who fly take a jet flight.so the term 'jet flight' seems a little quaint. I would omit it.

3. Instead of 'trifle', I'd say 'fritter'.

4. The overall meaning sounds like the speaker thinks it would be good to fly, yet the term 'trifle' (fritter) seems to suggest that flying is not a good idea. These two things seem to contradict each other.

Best wishes, Clive
Clive
Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
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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
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Anonymous, 1 yr 352 days ago

Hi, Clive

   Thank you for your answers. Concerning to the term 'fritter away' I really didn't understand why it would give a contradictory idea in relation to flying. Well, as this term means to spend a lot of money uselessly, my intention in the following sentence is to say that the wife is being ironic with her husband saying that as he seems to want fritter away all his money, so he could spend  a large amount of it buying expensive first-class air fares instead of travelling by car once the place is too far. So, after reading all your explanations, I rewrote the sentences and  I'd like that you could tell me if they sound fine and if the term fritter away makes sense now taking into consideration my thought. And if not what should I write so, please?    

"Travelling by car? No way! This place is very far. Why not take a flight or book a first-class flight so? Besides it would be good because as  first-class air fares are usually very expensive it would be another opportunity for you to fritter away your money ! (being sarcastic here).

   Thanks again for your great help, 

    Sophia

Clive  +  444953 Wed, 21 Nov 07 10:51 PM

Hi,

Sounds fine now.

Clive
Clive
Anonymous, 1 yr 352 days ago

Thanks a lot!

Best wishes,

Sophia  

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