Timeline for The use of "contact someone with something"
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
15 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 19, 2016 at 6:36 | comment | added | Peter | @KinzleB They are all possible, just more context is needed. "A visited B with a contract at their offices." though "A paid a visit to B with a contract" would sound better. "A approached B with a contract for next season." "A ran to B with a contract before the transfer window closed." "A called B with a contract." | |
| Mar 19, 2016 at 4:40 | comment | added | Kinzle B | BTW, does "A visited / approached / ran to / called B with a contract" sound natural? | |
| Mar 19, 2016 at 3:37 | vote | accept | Kinzle B | ||
| Jan 10, 2016 at 14:05 | comment | added | Peter | @Rathony "Diana was contacted by another agent with a contract" is also unambiguous, the agent has the contract | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 14:04 | comment | added | Peter | @Ranthony I contacted the dept. for info the dept has info that you want. I contacted the dept with info you have info to give the dept. "I contacted the guy with all the answers" might mean you need an answer, but the guy with all the answers would need to be established in previous context. Diana would never contact the agent for the contract, since she is the agent's handler, hit contracts (like other things) flow one-way. "Diana contacted the agent for a phone num" the agent has the phone num that Diana wants, yes that is unambiguous. | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 13:46 | comment | added | user24743 | @Peter Wouldn't it be better to use the preposition for instead of with if the Diana's intention was to give a contract by contacting the agent? With flower and with plagues sound natural because the subjects represent the obvious. If we contrast "I contacted the department for information", with "I contacted the dept. with information", the distinction seems to be clearer. | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 13:23 | comment | added | Peter | @StoneyB +1 An excellent example of usage of visited and with. That is beyond native, it is an example of being well-spoken (written). ELL readers take note | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 13:17 | comment | added | user24743 | @StoneyB I think Peter nailed it. +1) Law of Proximity should be applied here. Otherwise, the writer should not use that construction. The sentence seems to be ambiguous but it is not difficult to write "Diana contacts another agent to reward (give) a (new) contract...". | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 13:08 | comment | added | StoneyB on hiatus | @Peter I can't resist comparing "John visited Jane with flowers" to "YHWH visited Pharaoh with plagues." | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 13:00 | comment | added | Peter | @KinzleB I have reedited my answer, it that closer to what you're asking? | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 12:59 | history | edited | Peter | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
reedit of answer
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| Jan 10, 2016 at 12:30 | comment | added | Peter | @KinzleB Sorry, What is it you want to know? Please give an additional example if you can. Was your question about the ambiguity you perceive? Who has what? | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 12:28 | history | edited | Peter | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
additional example
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| Jan 10, 2016 at 12:27 | comment | added | Kinzle B | I didn't ask about the semantics of the quoted example. Perhaps I didn't make myself understood. :( | |
| Jan 10, 2016 at 12:23 | history | answered | Peter | CC BY-SA 3.0 |