Question
Updated on
8 Dec 2022
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
-
English (US)
Question about English (US)
can these sentences be used interchangeably?
the child was lost
the child was missing
the child was in the damper
the child was mislaid
can these sentences be used interchangeably?
the child was lost
the child was missing
the child was in the damper
the child was mislaid
the child was lost
the child was missing
the child was in the damper
the child was mislaid
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- English (US)
The first two can be, but not the last two.
"The child was mislaid" sounds scary, like the child was treated like a bag and forgotten.
"The child was in the damper" doesn't make sense... a damper is something that supresses sound or vibration.
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
@dkirs
"mislaid" is always used with things, not people. And it is something that a person actively does.
Here are some examples...
"She tried to find her keys, but she must have mislaid them somewhere."
"The package didn't arrive on time. A post worker had mislaid it in the warehouse."
"I mislaid my purse, and now I'm so worried someone will get my Carrefour card!"
I hope it's helpful?
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
@dkirs "mislaid" means, "I put something somewhere and can't remember where"
"forgot" means, "I used to know something and now I don't"
With each of my examples, you could use "forgot", but "forgot where I put it"...
So, "I forgot where I put my purse, and now I'm so worried someone will get my Carrefour card!"
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
I have a different opinion about the first two.
"The child was lost" may mean that she was out somewhere (maybe in the forest) and couldn't find her way back home. To be lost means you don't know where you are and how to get to where you want to go.
"The child was missing" means that people (maybe the parents) could not find the child.
I hope this clarifies things.
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
Let's say the child went out to play, and didn't come back home on time. Now the parents are worried. Hours go by, and still the child has not returned. Now the parents call the police to report a MISSING CHILD. This what it means when we say a child is missing. A missing child is one who has disappeared.
A lost child is just like a lost adult. This child has gone somewhere and can't remember where he is or how to get back home. This is just like when you drive in a strange neighborhood and suddenly realize you don't know how to get to your destination. I think you say "Está perdido" in Portuguese.
A child may be lost but not missing, if she can't figure out where she is but has only been gone from home for a short time, so the parents don't think she has disappeared.
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
@theramster then, a missing child means they disappeared unexpectedly without knowing how and regardless of what way? And they no longer appear?
And a lost child is when they got lost in a place and don’t know how to get home later either they don’t remember the street or another thing to locate themselves and a they can go home later?
And a lost child is when they got lost in a place and don’t know how to get home later either they don’t remember the street or another thing to locate themselves and a they can go home later?
- English (US)
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
- English (US)
- Portuguese (Brazil) Near fluent
@theramster of course I agree with you, friend. I am very thankful to you for all your explanation. 😘
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