If you give him some money, he can/he'll be able to fix it for you.

[MichaelLu2000]

What’s the difference in the meaning between these sentences? I made up this conversations, so there’s no source.

A: My laptop is dead.
B: Jack is back in the town.
1. If you give him some money, he can fix it for you.
2. If you give him some money, he’ll be able to fix it for you.

I think sentence 1 means that by giving him money, Jack’s fixing the laptop for A will become available or possible. He might have the willingness to do so if he gets paid, and it might have nothing to do with his actual gaining of the means or the skills to fix it.

On the other hand, example 2 means that Jack needs the money to have the ability to fix it. He might need to buy some tools and materials with the money.

This is just my guess, and I’m wondering if I am right.

 

[Glizdka]

Those are valid interpretations. However, sentence 1 with can can also mean he needs the money to buy some parts in order to fix the laptop. Can is a bit broader than be able to.

 

[MichaelLu2000]

Those are valid interpretations. However, sentence 1 with can can also mean he needs the money to buy some parts in order to fix the laptop. Can is a bit broader than be able to.

Yes you are tight. The first one can mean both, while the second only means the gaining of ability. Let’s see what others feel about them.

 

[jutfrank]

I made up this conversations, so there’s no source.

I think sentence 1 means ...

You can't guess what you mean, Michael. You can't interpret your own forced inauthentic examples.

None of this makes sense to me. What's the point of making up context for a sentence if not to make the meaning clear? You're really doing this the wrong way. If you want to study the semantics, find some authentic example cases that do mean something.

 

[emsr2d2]

B should be "Jack's back in town" if you're talking about the town the speakers are in.

 

[MichaelLu2000]

B should be "Jack's back in town" if you're talking about the town the speakers are in.

Besides that, is my analysis for the difference between the two sentences correct?

 

[emsr2d2]

Besides that, is my analysis for the difference between the two sentences correct?

I don't know what you're getting at, to be honest, and I echo jutfrank's comments in post #4. Only you know what you want to say. Which of your two interpretations did you mean?
Neither of them has anything to do with Jack's need to buy parts or tools.
For what it's worth, I see no real difference between the two. They're both a way of saying "Pay him and he'll fix it" (which is more natural). It's no use telling someone that you know someone who can fix a laptop! You want to let him know that there's someone who will [try to] fix it for a fee.

Here's how the conversation would go in everyday BrE:

Me: My laptop's dead!
Friend: Oh no! Jack's back in town. He'll try and fix it for you for twenty quid. I'll text you his number.
Me: Thanks.

 

[MichaelLu2000]

I don't know what you're getting at, to be honest, and I echo jutfrank's comments in post #4. Only you know what you want to say. Which of your two interpretations did you mean?
Neither of them has anything to do with Jack's need to buy parts or tools.
For what it's worth, I see no real difference between the two. They're both a way of saying "Pay him and he'll fix it" (which is more natural). It's no use telling someone that you know someone who can fix a laptop! You want to let him know that there's someone who will [try to] fix it for a fee.

Here's how the conversation would go in everyday BrE:

Me: My laptop's dead!
Friend: Oh no! Jack's back in town. He'll try and fix it for you for twenty quid. I'll text you his number.
Me: Thanks.

My interpretations:

Can: his fixing the laptop will be possible if you pay him. The money might have nothing to do with his ability to fix it.

Will be able to: Your paying him will enable him to fix the laptop. Maybe he needs the money to buy the materials to be able to fix it.

 

[emsr2d2]

My interpretations:

Can: his fixing the laptop will be possible if you pay him. The money might have nothing to do with his ability to fix it.

Will be able to: Your paying him will enable him to fix the laptop. Maybe he needs the money to buy the materials to be able to fix it.

You're reading things into it that just aren't there.

 

[jutfrank]

A: My laptop's dead.
B: Jack's back in town.

Think about this. So far, person B's response appears completely incoherent. The obvious way to make it coherent is to follow logically with the suggestion that contacting Jack might well be the best way for person A to sort out his computer. Therefore, the next sentence should be a suggestion, or possibly a recommendation.