BrainKing - Discussion boards (Languages)

Languages

Ask questions or just talk about different languages. Since BrainKing is an international game site supporting many languages, this board can be kind of useful.

Since we will be dealing with pronunciation of words rather than their spelling, I think it's useful to have a link to The sounds of English and the International Phonetic Alphabet.

To see translations of some frequently used phrases and sentences in other languages see Languages

List of discussion boards
You are not allowed to post messages to this board. Minimum level of membership required for posting on this board is Brain Pawn.

Mode: Everyone can post

24. September 2009, 12:33:00

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Hi. Is there any difference between a movie's being set in China and it's taking place in China?

24. September 2009, 13:03:57

Pedro Martínez

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

King Reza: I would certainly write “the movie is set in China,” but as far as the meaning is concerned, I think there is no difference at all.

24. September 2009, 15:32:20

Bwild

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Pedro Martínez: tell that to Hollywood

"set" would be where a movie is actually filmed. "taking place" would be where the movies story line occurred.

24. September 2009, 15:40:20

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Bwild: I guess the difference is obvious now, except, I think it must be the reverse. Otherwise the sentence in my book "It's a new action movie that is set in ancient China. Michelle Yeoh is in it." would be meaningless as there's no ancient China today to film the movie there.

24. September 2009, 16:07:05

rod03801

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Modified by rod03801 (24. September 2009, 16:07:27)

King Reza: Like so much else in English, it can be used different ways. My personal opinion is that both are the same, in your original post. If someone said the movie takes place in NYC but the set is in LA, it would be saying that the story itself is set(verb)in NYC, but the movie set(noun) is in LA.

24. September 2009, 16:08:57

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

rod03801: Thanks. So basically they're more or less the same thing.

24. September 2009, 15:38:28

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Pedro Martínez: Thanks for the reply. I've seen both sentences in a book and from the context, I'd say there's difference in meaning as the book is teaching verbs used when people talk about movies. But I can't figure out what it is.

Here's what the book says ( there are two ads for two movies) :

1) It's a tragedy that takes place in Delhi, so it's in Hindi, but it's subtitled.

2) It's a new action movie that is set in ancient China. Michelle Yeoh is in it.

I'd appreciate a few more comments.

24. September 2009, 17:10:24

Bwild

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

King Reza: "It's a new action movie that is set in ancient China. Michelle Yeoh is in it."
"is set" in this instance ....
"being set" was your 1st example. "Hi. Is there any difference between a movie's being set in China and it's taking place in China?"

24. September 2009, 17:29:32

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Bwild: being comes form is, doesn't it. I just used it in a different sentence and naturally I used being instead of is. I couldn't say " Is there any difference between a movie's IS set in China and it's taking place in China."

Anyway, now, is there any difference between these two sentences?

The movie takes place in China.

The movie is set in China.

24. September 2009, 17:33:39

King Reza

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Bwild: I reread my sentences and I got how I had written them poorly.

I should have written: Is there a difference between a movie's being set in China and ITS ( not it's) taking place there.

24. September 2009, 18:45:03

Pedro Martínez

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

King Reza: This doesn't make any sense to me. Your original question did though.

24. September 2009, 18:51:49

Bwild

show this user posts | show thread | link

Subject: Re:

Pedro Martínez: since it doesnt make any sense, might I add my two cents?

24. September 2009, 18:53:32

Pedro Martínez