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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > I have a ´PROBLEM ´ but I don ´t have a ´DOUBT ´    

I have a ´PROBLEM ´ but I don ´t have a ´DOUBT ´



ldthemagicman
United Kingdom

I have a ´PROBLEM ´ but I don ´t have a ´DOUBT ´
 

Dear Members,

Virtually every day, on ESLP, I see Members who begin their Post: �I have a doubt�.

 

The Oxford English Dictionary does not list �I have a doubt� as a phrase.

The Chambers Dictionary does not list �I have a doubt� as a phrase.

The Oxford Collocations Dictionary does not list �I have a doubt� as a phrase.

Chambers Thesaurus does not list �I have a doubt� as a phrase.

The British National Corpus does not list �I have a doubt� as a phrase.

 

Here is the link to the British National Corpus.

http://www.natcorp.ox.ac.uk/

�The British National Corpus (BNC) is a 100 million word collection of samples of written and spoken language from a wide range of sources, designed to represent a wide cross-section of current British English, both spoken and written�.

If you type in the phrase: �I have a doubt� and then press �Go�, what do you see?

RESULT: No solutions found for this query�.

 

However, when I typed in the following phrases, these were the results:

�I have a problem� = 32 solutions.

�I have a question� = 10 solutions.

�I have a query� = 3 solutions.

 

The British National Corpus also lists hundreds of other similar phrases, frequently used by English speakers.

But, �I have a doubt� is NOT LISTED in the BRITISH National Corpus as a phrase.

Other languages use this phrase, or something similar.

 
However, I think it is reasonable to say that British English speakers do not normally use the phrase: �I have a doubt�.

 

Les Douglas

20 Jan 2013      





lurdesilva
Portugal

Thanks for the information, dear Les.
At the beginning of this school year I created a forum for my students to use whenever they "have doubts" and as I wasn �t sure about the existence of the phrase I called it "I have a question". I �m glad to know I was right.
Greetings from Portugal.
 
Lurdes Silva

20 Jan 2013     



Minka
Slovenia

Apart from all the other "Englishes" there is also English teachers � English. Meaning that some English phrases can only be found on forums like this one, I �m afraid. 

20 Jan 2013     



yanogator
United States

Thanks, Les. Many people have tried to correct this practice here, but as soon as their post goes away, the "doubts" return.
 
Bruce

20 Jan 2013     



Fallen Angel
Portugal

Hi there, In some languages, for example in Portuguese, people have questions, problems, queries and even �doubts�, so I guess that�s why this mistake is so common. Well, right now I have question � and I�ve just decided to use this thread to ask for your help. Can we use the verb �dig� to say that we want to learn more about something, to say we want to find out about something?? Can it be used in sentence like �Let�s learn about it!�? Thanks in advance!

20 Jan 2013     



olaola
Italy

uhmmm...I �m so doubtful....Wink

20 Jan 2013     



yanogator
United States

@Fallen Angel,
You can say things like, "I �ll dig into that", meaning that you �ll investigate it thoroughly, to get as much information as possible. Is that what you mean?
 
Bruce

20 Jan 2013     



Olindalima ( F )
Portugal

So, dear Magic Man, when I am not sure, when " I have a doubt". when I am at a loss, when I don �t know what to pick, what to decide , what to choose .... what shall I say?
When I don+t know if this or that is the right one?  Smile

Hugs, Magic Man

20 Jan 2013     



Fallen Angel
Portugal

Yes, it is. Well, this is the context: a Kid is asking other kids things like �Do you know that �?� and the other kids always answer things like �Well, actually no�. Then, the interviewer says something like �Then, let�s learn about!�. So, in this situation can we say �Then, let�s dig into it?� Thanks again!

20 Jan 2013     



Pelletrine
France

Seems that in lots of languages �doubt � is a noun as well as a verb.... whereas in English you can only doubt (verb) something is right (or not).... am I right ... or should I doubt?

hugs !

20 Jan 2013     



Pelletrine
France

Oh dear, my my my : verifications .... it can be a noun in English
 ... well then ... why can �t we have a doubt ???

( the free dictionary) :
doubt  (dout)
v. doubt�eddoubt�ingdoubts
v.tr.
1. To be undecided or skeptical about: began to doubt some accepted doctrines.
2. To tend to disbelieve; distrust: doubts politicians when they make sweeping statements.
3. To regard as unlikely: I doubt that we �ll arrive on time.
4. Archaic To suspect; fear.
v.intr.
To be undecided or skeptical.
n.
1. A lack of certainty that often leads to irresolution. See Synonyms at uncertainty.
2. A lack of trust.
3. A point about which one is uncertain or skeptical: reassured me by answering my doubts.
4. The condition of being unsettled or unresolved: an outcome still in doubt.


20 Jan 2013     

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