is the second one(i think u don't...)grammatically wrong?is there any difference?if yes is it related to grammer or sth else? what is the exact difference in the meaning?(detailed plz)
2006-10-04 00:24:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
I could guess, if any difference exists, that
'I don't think you know him'
sounds more like 'I don't think you've been acquainted', whereas
'I think you don't know him'
is something you could say for somebody that although has met someone, doesn't know him really well.
I study english but I'm curious too about how these phrases sound to native speakers.
2006-10-04 00:36:33 · answer #1 · answered by CML 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're both grammatically correct, although the structure of the second one is somewhat awkward and doesn't occur in everyday speech all that often. But there are some shades of difference in meaning between the two. The first one essentially says, "I have a feeling that you don't know him", i.e. the person has some doubt, while the second one essentially says, "I'm reasonably, but not 100%, sure that you don't know him."
2006-10-04 08:34:44 · answer #2 · answered by ichliebekira 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although both are grammatically correct, the first one is more of a reference to "him" and the second is in more reference to "you".
In the first the emphesis inherently falls on the other guy while in the second, it's "you" that gets subtly emphsized.
Excellent question!
2006-10-04 08:07:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
1.) I don't think you know him. - A statement of doubt on the first person. It brings to question his own memory's or awareness' limits. "I am unsure whether you two have met before. You might have, but I personally don't know".
2.) I think you don't know him - A statement of belief on the first person, but is grammatically awkward, and is most likely not used since it has an innately arrogant tone to it. It brings to focus his mild extent of certainty. "To the extent of my knowledge you two have not met before. If you have, it wasn't while I was aware of it".
2006-10-04 08:04:26 · answer #4 · answered by seraphim_pwns_u 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there isn't much of a difference and i'm not sure which one is more grammatically correct..
if i was speaking i would use the first one
2006-10-04 07:33:26 · answer #5 · answered by steph 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The first is not sure the second is sure.
the second is not gramatically incorrect, I think it is just so matter of fact it dose not get used as often in life that is sounds odd.
2006-10-04 07:33:09 · answer #6 · answered by Steve 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not sure...umm..They both try to give the same expression,but the previous sounds more comfortable.
They both make sense but the later one has structural problem.
2006-10-04 08:08:34 · answer #7 · answered by Gone Car 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋