[Idiom] I mean him read the newspaper.

[denismurs]

Hello,

How would you explain the meaning of the phrase "I mean him read the newspaper"?

Does it mean that one person want politely to force the other one to read the newspaper?

Denis.

 

[Skrej]

What is the source of your sentence? It is meaningless and ungrammatical as written. Are you sure you've copied it correctly?

 

[denismurs]

Firstly I have read in my course book that "mean" should be followed by object + infinitive, then I have invented a sentence according to the rule and at the same time trying to get my head around of possible meaning.

I knew that my sentence might have been meaningless, because I have never seen before the grammatical structure "mean + object + infinitive”.

I need to come down with the sense of "mean + object + infinitive”.
Could you help me with it?

 

[tzfujimino]

Hello, denismurs.

You need to use the to-infinitive in your sentence to make it grammatical.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/infinitives-with-and-without-to

I hope it helps.

 

[denismurs]

I think you are right and in my course book there is one more mistake, because they have put "mean" as in the group of common verbs followed by to-infinitive as in the one followed by object + infinitive. And everywhere "mean" is described as a verb followed by to-infinitive.

 

[tzfujimino]

Well, I will refrain from commenting on your course book, because I don't have a copy of it.

I'd like to suggest that you check the usage of the verb "mean" in several dictionaries here:

http://www.onelook.com
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mean_1
http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mean_1?q=Mean