Nov 6, 2016 08:00
7 yrs ago
5 viewers *
English term
Cheer
Non-PRO
English
Other
Other
Tour de Tohoku
Cycling around the disaster-stricken areas and making new friends along the way
I cheered the riders on,
But I was cheered by them .. with their smiles
Is it appropriate to use "cheered by them"?
Thank you for your help!!
Cycling around the disaster-stricken areas and making new friends along the way
I cheered the riders on,
But I was cheered by them .. with their smiles
Is it appropriate to use "cheered by them"?
Thank you for your help!!
Responses
4 +6 | cheer |
Rachel Fell
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4 +3 | with reservations, yes. |
Tony M
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Responses
+6
3 hrs
Selected
cheer
Yes, it is appropriate to use cheer in both places: in the first sentence it means that the narrator called out in encouragement to the riders; in the second it means that the narrator feels pleased and comforted as a result of seeing the smiles on the riders' faces.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much!!"
+3
1 hr
with reservations, yes.
In any literal sense, I'd say not really — to cheer in its first sense means 'to cry with encouragement', so the image of 'cheering with a smile' is not an entirely applicable; the first instance of 'cheering on' is being used in this very literal way.
However, it could certainly be argued that 'to cheer someone with your smile' is an unusual enough metaphor to make it actually quite an interesting one to use.
Then again, there is another consideration, from another sense of 'to cheer', which means 'to cheer up, make happier, make less unhappy; encourage' — as in 'a cheery fire'. In this sense, 'to cheer someone up with your smile' is an entirely appropriate image. This would be particualrly applicable if, say, the spectator was for some reason sad, and the sight of the riders smiling back cheered them up.
I suspect that these metaphors do not necessarily convey exactly your intended meaning, which is why I say "with reser
vations" — although the metaphors can be used, I'm not sure they mean quite what you think they do?
However, it could certainly be argued that 'to cheer someone with your smile' is an unusual enough metaphor to make it actually quite an interesting one to use.
Then again, there is another consideration, from another sense of 'to cheer', which means 'to cheer up, make happier, make less unhappy; encourage' — as in 'a cheery fire'. In this sense, 'to cheer someone up with your smile' is an entirely appropriate image. This would be particualrly applicable if, say, the spectator was for some reason sad, and the sight of the riders smiling back cheered them up.
I suspect that these metaphors do not necessarily convey exactly your intended meaning, which is why I say "with reser
vations" — although the metaphors can be used, I'm not sure they mean quite what you think they do?
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Charles Davis
: To be cheered (encouraged, made happier) by someone or something is standard. But perhaps it might work better if we said "But I was cheered as well... by their smiles". You might well appreciate a bit of cheer in a disaster area.
1 hr
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Thanks, Charles! Yes, of course, I overlooked that point! Certainly more apposite than ever in that case.
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agree |
writeaway
: agree with Charles too. Metaphors?
2 hrs
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Thanks, W/A! Yes, I initially read it that way — like "killing me softly with his msile" — but of course, you're right, that's not what it is at all.
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agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: I think a little liberty with the metaphor is ok. Not sure, but I would be inclined to use the active voice and match the personal pronouns: I cheered them (on) - They cheered me.
8 hrs
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Thanks, Tina! Yes, I think "their smiles cheered me" — there may be an argument for dropping the 'but', unless it is worked in more stylishly...
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