My Mom swears that I worded this sentence wrong. I told her that it was correct and the way it would incorrect was if I used a comma between great and big. The sentence is "You are a great big brother!" The sentence is not supposed to mean he is fat or large. Is this correct?
2007-10-22 06:25:39 · 13 answers · asked by Elizabeth W 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Yes, it is correct exactly as written. But don't tell your Mom I said so. ;-)
2007-10-22 06:34:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
As is, it can mean either he's great at being a big brother (most likely interpretation) OR he's a very large brother. With a comma it would mean he's great at being a brother and he's a large brother.
To avoid the ambiguity you can say "You're a fantastic/wonderful/good/excellent/etc. big brother!" or "You're a great older brother!" I would probably say "You're the best big brother!"
2007-10-22 06:33:47 · answer #2 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You're right. You mean your "big brother" is "great". Your mother's comma suggestion would mean that you meant to say your "brother" is "very large". You could emphasise your point by hyphenating "big-brother". In speaking, the difference in meaning is achieved by subtly pausing longer between "great" and "big" than between "big" and "brother" (your meaning) vs. pausing equally between the two pairs (your mother's meaning).
2007-10-22 08:30:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think you're saying that your elder brother is great in the sense of being wonderful. Why not say "It's great having someone like you as a big brother."
2007-10-22 06:35:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Use another word for 'great'. wonderful, good, fabulous, smashing,
The way it's written, even though you don't mean it that way, it can be taken both ways and it makes it hard to read. Our mind has to pause a minute and think, 'now which way do they mean it?"
2007-10-22 06:35:20 · answer #5 · answered by pansyblue 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that is correct cause any other way it would sound like you are in fact calling large instead of awesome.
2007-10-22 06:36:59 · answer #6 · answered by Fire 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"great big" is an adjectival clause meaning large.
Put a comma after "great" and you are describing the attributes of an elder brother.
Your mother is correct.
In your question would you like to insert the missing word "be"?
2007-10-22 06:38:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Just put Capitals on "Big" and "Brother" and it's perfect!
2007-10-22 07:09:15 · answer #8 · answered by captbullshot 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you could have said "My big brother is great" also
2007-10-22 06:57:07 · answer #9 · answered by fantasirose 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes, it is, but if you want "big" to not mean fat or large, maybe "older" would be better
2007-10-22 06:33:29 · answer #10 · answered by Lordy Lordy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋