would-be quarrel

English translation: possible quarrel

07:46 Oct 28, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: would-be quarrel
“Don’t start quarreling, let’s just try and see how this thing works,” I suggested, and the next moment they all forgot about their would-be quarrel.

Dear native English speakers!
Please advise which version sounds better to you - "would-be quarrel" or "might-have-been quarrel"? Which is more correct or more appropriate here? Or would it be better to do without either attribute?
Thank you!
Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 16:23
Selected answer:possible quarrel
Explanation:
Of your two suggestions, I think "would-be" is better than "might-have-been", but still not really appropriate. "Their possible quarrel", that is the quarrel which had been possible, is still not quite the same meaning, but I think it would fit here.

Though it alters the meaning, I think "they forgot all about their ****** quarrel" would go well in a children's book (but preferably not "they all forgot all about..."

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Note added at 1 hr 28 mins (2005-10-28 09:15:05 GMT)
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I agree with ninogulli's comments. Just "They forgot all about their quarrel" is probably sufficient, if you think it conveys all the necessary meaning, and it seems to me that it does.
Selected response from:

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:23
Grading comment
Thank you for your help Jack! Thanks everybody!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +2their little dispute/argument
SIMON DAVIS
3 +4possible quarrel
Jack Doughty
3 +2would-be quarrel
Louise Mawbey
5near quarrel...
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4and a moment later they had forgotten that they had almost been quarrelling
CMJ_Trans (X)
3quarrel that might have erupted
Dave Calderhead
3the quarrel that never was
Nesrin


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
quarrel that might have erupted


Explanation:
This is always a question of personal taste and style.
I am sure one of us will come up with somethng you can use.

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Note added at 8 mins (2005-10-28 07:55:25 GMT)
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or, to amswer your question more directly,
just leave out the would-be

Dave Calderhead
Netherlands
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 48
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39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the quarrel that never was


Explanation:
I'm sorry, I'm not a native English speaker. But you could still consider these suggestions:

they forgot about...
the quarrel that never was.
the quarrel that never happened.
what might have turned into a quarrel.

Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:23
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 80
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
their little dispute/argument


Explanation:
An alternative should you wish to avoid repeating the word quarrel!

SIMON DAVIS
Spain
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Fell: ...that might have been. (I thin it's better not to repeat quarrel)
4 hrs

agree  Tania Marques-Cardoso
10 hrs
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
possible quarrel


Explanation:
Of your two suggestions, I think "would-be" is better than "might-have-been", but still not really appropriate. "Their possible quarrel", that is the quarrel which had been possible, is still not quite the same meaning, but I think it would fit here.

Though it alters the meaning, I think "they forgot all about their ****** quarrel" would go well in a children's book (but preferably not "they all forgot all about..."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 28 mins (2005-10-28 09:15:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree with ninogulli's comments. Just "They forgot all about their quarrel" is probably sufficient, if you think it conveys all the necessary meaning, and it seems to me that it does.

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 518
Grading comment
Thank you for your help Jack! Thanks everybody!!!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  transparx: actually, i like "they forgot all about their quarrel." --unless otherwise specified, "they" must refer to all of them, so "all" is not necessary; and "the(ir) quarrel" is really enough -"possible" can often be omitted without altering the meaning...
18 mins
  -> Thank you. Yes, I think you're right.

agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
1 hr
  -> Thank you.

agree  Rajan Chopra
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
would-be quarrel


Explanation:
I personally think would-be quarrel is absolutely fine. no need to change it at all.

Louise Mawbey
Germany
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  KNielsen: I think it's fine too, and I see no problem with repeating "quarrel".
21 hrs

agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): absolutely fine
2 days 11 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
and a moment later they had forgotten that they had almost been quarrelling


Explanation:
or nearly been quarrelling

I think you have a small problem with the tenses of the verb in your sentence

that they had been about to quarrel

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 10:23
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52
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2 days 13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
near quarrel...


Explanation:
is the simplest..

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
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