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  • Topic

    Ways to cause things

    Comment
    Are these all possible?

    So./sth./X
    -- accidentally caused Y
    -- coincidentally caused Y
    -- inadvertently caused Y
    -- indirectly caused Y

    Or does one of these things just not belong here? (Hi, hi -- Sesame Street game.)

    I had a conversation about this today. Are some of the options above not logically possible?

    Much appreciated!
    Authorbarn08 Apr 10, 09:04
    Comment
    No problemo with any of these, as far as I am concerned.
    #1AuthorAsdf (481171) 08 Apr 10, 09:43
    Comment
    I thought you were meant to be a native speaker, meep/barn/taug/oviyst/gay whatever you like to call yourself, so why are you asking?
    #2Author?08 Apr 10, 09:45
    Comment
    Not sure about coincidentally, the others seem OK.

    Is this a quiz directed to non-native speakers or are you seeking reassurance from native speakers? And what is your answer to the question? You must have one, after all, you claim to be a native speaker (Southern Wisconsin American, IIRC).
    #3Author Dragon (238202) 08 Apr 10, 09:45
    Comment
    well, coincidentally and inadvertently are more or less the same, aren't they?

    However coincidentally is probably more colloquial and less "juridical".
    #4AuthorAsdf (481171) 08 Apr 10, 10:09
    Comment
    No quiz, and yes I'm a native speaker, but I don't claim to know everything about the English language! @Dragon -- good memory ... it's Southern Wisconsin American -- btw, what's IIRC?

    ON topic.

    I had the conversation with a friend today, and I though all 4 above (in OP) were okay. We went through the nuances of the modifiers (coincidentally, accidentally, inadvertently, and indirectly), and I said:

    They are all fine! (Which I still think.)

    The other person said: coincidentally caused is not logically possible.

    I left it at that and wanted to know what people on Leo thought.

    Thanks for input. It sounds like maybe I'm wrong.
    #5Authorbarn08 Apr 10, 10:40
    Comment
    coincidentally and inadvertently are more or less the same, aren't they
    Not to me, no. And not to LEO either:

    Dictionary: coincidentally

    Dictionary: inadvertently

    Edit: Didn't you start a thread recently asking about the various abbreviations used in chats? IIRC must have been among them. It means "if i remember correctly".
    #6Author Dragon (238202) 08 Apr 10, 10:41
    Comment
    @Dragon, our posts crossed. Thanks for posting that (the links). I'm torn sometimes between the difference of the 4 modifiers. That helps for others to understand this discussion.
    #7Authorbarn08 Apr 10, 10:45
    Comment
    Oui, 'twas me! IIRC was not among them (in my list)! (It should have been.) Thanks
    (Posts crossed again.)
    #8Authorbarn08 Apr 10, 10:47
     
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