with another post without a closing punctuation mark

[GoldfishLord]

We like to believe that learners are actually reading and taking our advice. Replying to a post reminding you that you need a closing punctuation mark at the end of every sentence with another post without a closing punctuation mark doesn't give us much hope that you're taking any notice.
Source: moderator

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Could "with" be replaced by "along with"?

 

[Tarheel]

No. It means the post in reply to the one with the correction had the same error.

 

[GoldfishLord]

1. Is "another post without a closing punctuation mark" intended to mean "another post which is without a closing punctuation mark"?
2. Is "like to believe" intended to mean "prefer to think"?

 

[emsr2d2]

1. Is "another post without a closing punctuation mark" intended to mean "another post which is without a closing punctuation mark"?
2. Is "like to believe" intended to mean "prefer to think"?

1. It's not "intended to mean" that. It does mean that!
2. Not really, no. It's more like saying "I choose to believe that learners are heeding our advice, because it's better for me to believe that (than to believe that they're ignoring me)".

 

[GoldfishLord]

Are you saying that the inner meaning of "like" is "choose" even though its literal meaning is "prefer"?

 

[Tarheel]

@GoldfishLord Two things. One, I have never heard of an inner meaning before. Two, I'm pretty sure she didn't mean that.

(This hurts my head )

 

[GoldfishLord]

I intended "the inner meaning" to be interpreted as "the underlying meaning".

 

[Tarheel]

A word or phrase or sentence either means something or it doesn't.

 

[GoldfishLord]

Does "like" mean literally "prefer"?

 

[emsr2d2]

Does "like" mean literally "prefer"?

No. "Prefer" means "like something/someone more than something/someone else".

 

[jutfrank]

Are you saying that the inner meaning of "like" is "choose" even though its literal meaning is "prefer"?

Yes, like in this case is similar to 'prefer'.

Does "like" mean literally "prefer"?

'Literally'? No word literally means another word. We can say that both words convey a similar meaning.

 

[Tarheel]

Does "like" mean literally "prefer"?

The words "literally" and "prefer" should change places.

As has already been stated, it can mean "prefer" in the sense that you like one thing more than another.

 

[Piscean]

I disagree with Tarheel and jutfrank. Like does not mean prefer. As emsr2d2 said earlier, "Prefer" means "like something/someone more than something/someone else".

 

[jutfrank]

I disagree with Tarheel and jutfrank. Like does not mean prefer.

I don't like to say that like 'means' prefer but rather that it has a sense of expressing preference when followed by a to-infnitive.

As emsr2d2 said earlier, "Prefer" means "like something/someone more than something/someone else".

Yes, it's implied in the core sense that there's something else. In the context of emsr2d2's sentence, it means, in her words, 'choose to believe' one thing over another. Both 'choose' and 'prefer' have such an implication.

I'm reluctant to call a preference a 'choice', since the word choice implies an action. A preference is a pure mental state, not an act. If I prefer tea to coffee, I'm not actually doing anything in the way that I am doing something if I choose tea over coffee. For that reason, 'prefer' is a better synonym of 'like' than 'choose', in my opinion.

 

[Piscean]

I don't like to say that like 'means' prefer but rather that it has a sense of expressing preference when followed by a to-infnitive.

Once again, I don't agree.

I like to visit my offspring at least once a year. I see no expression of preference there.

 

[jutfrank]

I like to visit my offspring at least once a year. I see no expression of preference there.

It is a kind of preference, yes. You could also put it like this: I organise my life in such a way that I visit my offspring once a year. For me, that's a preference. Here are some perhaps more illustrative contexts:

I like to have the light turned off when watching TV.
He likes to smoke a cigarette with a cup of coffee.
She likes to get up late on Sundays.

I wonder how you used to teach this particular sense of like (like + to-infinitive) without using the word 'preference'.

 

[Tarheel]

I very carefully stated that in that context it does (or can mean) "prefer". If I say I like strawberry fruit bars (frozen treats) more than the others that doesn't mean I dislike the others. (I like them all!) What it does mean is that I prefer strawberry fruit bars to the rest of them.

 

[jutfrank]

I very carefully stated that in that context it does (or can mean) "prefer". If I say I like strawberry fruit bars (frozen treats) more than the others that doesn't mean I dislike the others. (I like them all!) What it does mean is that I prefer strawberry fruit bars to the rest of them.

No, it doesn't mean 'prefer' in those contexts. We're talking here specifically about the sense of like when followed by a to-infinitive verb.

 

[GoldfishLord]

We like to believe that learners are actually reading and taking our advice. Replying to a post reminding you that you need a closing punctuation mark at the end of every sentence with another post without a closing punctuation mark doesn't give us much hope that you're taking any notice.

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It seems to me that "with" means "together with, in addition to".
I wonder what you think about that.

 

[Tarheel]

I think it's more important to understand what the sentence means -- much more important.