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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Life of luxury / luxurious life
Life of luxury / luxurious life
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colibrita
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Life of luxury / luxurious life
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Hi, i �m in a bit of a brain fog at the moment, perhaps someone can explain...
Why do we tend to say somebody �s led a "life of luxury" and not a "luxurious life?
However, we talk about a having a luxury lifestyle but not a lifestyle of luxury. How can I explain the difference to my Ss?
I �d google it but don �t really know what grammatical area I should be going for?
Hugs from a sultry, brain stultifying Barcelona
Colibrita
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24 May 2011
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Zora
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Well, I would say that you could use both depending on context.
Lead a life of luxury is to have a rich, indulgent lifestyle like that of Donald Trump. Expensive cars, apartments everywhere, private islands, etc.
A luxurious lifestyle would be a life full of self indulgence. i.e. massages every day, chocolate on your pillow, a bath drawn for you by somebody, etc. You are treated like a queen or king.
Hope that helps my little hummingbird. 
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24 May 2011
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Jayho
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My brain is just as foggy as yours but Zora�s explanation makes sense.
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24 May 2011
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Olindalima ( F )
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Yes, Colibrita
foggy, foogy, foggy dew....
Well, about Zora �s second lifestyle, apart from a box of choco, every now and then, ( but not on my pillow, just like this - take, here, a box of choco for you -, I really don �t know what she is talking about. My shower is always a quick and go, massages for me ... only if I would break some bones and need some special therapy, I guess....
But they treat me fairly well, not like a queen, when my kids were really kids ( how I miss them at that age ) they wouldn �t call me queen, but most frequently they would say I was a sargent.
That �s a good thing, isn �t it? They knew I was not but a poor soldier, I was the sargent and I was always on charge.
Second style - appartments everywhere. Please, please, no, don �t do that to me, I don �t deserve , I have enough of houseworking, don �t want more.
So, having a look at this small report, what would you say my life is?
Come on, I �m waiting for your replies. I want to know what kind of life I have.
Hugs, loving you, hope you all get the style you prefer LOL
Linda
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24 May 2011
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Zora
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Ay, Linda ... I only ASPIRE to that desired lifestyle. *sighs*
Massages are something that I�ve only heard about. My chocolate is hidden in the cupboard just in case, after a hard day, I eat it all in one sitting. My bath (which I do love) are drawn by me, no candles or soft music accompany them... only a book or my cat, who stares at me (after crying at the door to get in) and occasionally swipes at a bubble.
You see, my luxurious lifestyle is not quite a life of luxury... although, I really can�t complain. Chocolate and hot baths with a book and a kitty after a hard day make everything better. 
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24 May 2011
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ldthemagicman
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Dear Colibrita,
I think that we use the phrase, �A life of luxury�, because it appears to emphasise the first word, the noun, �life�, and give it a certain poetic quality. To the listener, the apparent result is that �life�, in its entirety, consists of �luxury�. (Moreover, this phrase has the benefit of the alliteration of the repeated �L�, �A Life of Luxury�).
In my opinion, although, �A luxurious life�, represents a similar thought, the phrase is more mundane. The first word, the adjective, �luxurious�, describes only one aspect of �life�, not its entirety.
When we compare the scansion of the two phrases, the first has �a LIFE of LUXury�, with two definite strong beats. This gives it a pleasing rhythm.
The second has only one definite strong beat. �a luxURious life�, the rhythm of which leaves the listener slightly unfulfilled.
Perhaps we can notice a similarity, if we compare the two phrases: �A thing of beauty� and �A beautiful thing�. Which appears to be the more striking, the more poetic?
There are many phrases with a similar construction to, �A life of luxury�, which the English speaker appears to prefer. Many of them have been used as the title of books, films, TV programmes, etc.
�A life of bliss�; �A life of crime�; �A life of danger�; �A life of despair�; �A life of her own�; �A life of leisure�; �A life of meaning�; �A life of poverty�; �A life of prayer�; �A life of prosperity�; �A life of purpose�; �A life of Riley�.
I think that, �A blissful life�, �A criminal life�, �A dangerous life�, etc, might not be such eye-catching titles.
These are just my thoughts.
Les |
24 May 2011
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yanogator
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Hey, Les,
This reply is even more eloquent than your usual. I really like your idea here, and I �d like to add one thing. In English, we don �t use the word "of" nearly as much as in other languages, so that word alone adds some weight to a phrase.
Compare these two menu descriptions:
A lemon-raspberry tart
A tart of lemon and raspberries
The second one sounds more special, partly because of the word "of" (and the longer construction that accompanies it)
Bruce |
24 May 2011
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colibrita
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Thanks guys for helping to lift the fog and Les, wow, your brain is definitely a thing of beauty. What an amazing answer. Mua mua mua!
Hugs to you all
La Hummingbird
("Oh maid, can you draw me my bath now, and bring me a slice of tart of lemon and raspberries, and a glass of champagne")
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25 May 2011
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