Jun 27, 2005 17:02
18 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term
DELVING into DETAIL
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian, Russian to English, and 2 more.
broom sweeping (on) the floor
English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
children's literature
There were voices and the sound of slamming doors. Some servants appeared in the kitchen. There came the sound of a broom sweeping on the floor, the splashing of water, the clinking of plates and dishes.
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise what is better here - to use the preposition 'on' or to omit it. It seems to me that the phrase sounds better with the 'on' put in, but I can't tell for sure, not being a NES myself.
This is my translation from Russian.
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise what is better here - to use the preposition 'on' or to omit it. It seems to me that the phrase sounds better with the 'on' put in, but I can't tell for sure, not being a NES myself.
This is my translation from Russian.
Responses
| 3 +7 | the sound of a sweeping broom |
hirselina
|
| 3 +7 | the sound of a broom sweeping the floor |
@caduceus (X)
|
| 5 | a broom sweeping the floor...but |
Anna Maria Augustine (X)
|
| 4 | swish |
Armorel Young
|
Responses
+7
3 mins
hirselina
Specializes in field
Selected
the sound of a sweeping broom
It is "sweeping the floor", but you might say "the sound of a sweeping broom"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
: I prefer your second suggestion, 'the sound of a sweeping broom'
1 min
|
| agree |
Ulrike Kraemer
: I prefer your first suggestion (the sound of a broom sweeping the floor)...
10 mins
|
| agree |
Robert Donahue (X)
14 mins
|
| agree |
jccantrell
34 mins
|
| agree |
jennifer newsome (X)
1 hr
|
| agree |
Margaret Lagoyianni
1 hr
|
| agree |
Can Altinbay
: I'm with Dusty
4 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you for your help! Thanks everybody!"
4 mins
a broom sweeping the floor...but
either is fine really
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
David Moore (X)
: "On" does NOT belong
31 mins
|
+7
6 mins
the sound of a broom sweeping the floor
I would omit "on"
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Note added at 10 hrs 49 mins (2005-06-28 03:51:55 GMT)
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In regards to your second question, I would simply put \"Then, the sound of a broom sweeping the floor...\" instead of \"There came...\"
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Note added at 10 hrs 49 mins (2005-06-28 03:51:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
In regards to your second question, I would simply put \"Then, the sound of a broom sweeping the floor...\" instead of \"There came...\"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Ulrike Kraemer
7 mins
|
| agree |
David Moore (X)
: Certainly...and it's much more literary
32 mins
|
| agree |
Erin McGann
: agree with David
1 hr
|
| agree |
Nick Lingris
1 hr
|
| agree |
Refugio
5 hrs
|
| agree |
RHELLER
7 hrs
|
| agree |
Saiwai Translation Services
9 hrs
|
14 hrs
swish
The sound of a broom sweeping the floor is usually called swishing. That would be a more evocative word than "sound", and would fit well with "splashing" and "clinking". You'd need to reword a bit - e.g. "He heard the swish of a broom sweeping the floor, the splashing ..."
Discussion