Logic Confusion

[opper567]

How do these sentence pairs differ in meaning?

1. a) 你买给我一件衣服

B) 你给我买一件衣服

2. a)送给他一张生日卡

B)给他送一张生日卡

[nipponman]

1. a) 你买给我一件衣服

B) 你给我买一件衣服

2. a)送给他一张生日卡

B)给他送一张生日卡

Hmm, I'll give this a stab. 1a = "you bought me a shirt." Plain and simple. the 给 only shows that it is being given. 1b = "you bought a shirt for me." I.e. you did me a favor.

Same with 2a/b. Hope I'm right/that helps.

nipponman

[opper567]

thx nipponman

[Quest]

The b)s are imperatives (i.e. giving order)

[nipponman]

The b)s are imperatives (i.e. giving order)

yeah, I think 2b would have 你' otherwise. But how can you tell 1b is imperative?

[laohu489]

The verb order makes it an imperitive. It would be much clearer (maybe more colloquial as well) if there was a 吧 at the end.

[Quest]

1b) means "(You) go buy a shirt for me"

[skylee]

I don't know about the grammar. But 衣服 is clothes/clothing, not just a shirt.

[opper567]

yeh, it means an article of clothing. 一件衣服.

[Quest]

That's rather insignificant..... Go buy me an article of clothing -- if you prefer