"Lubię go mniej niż ciebie."
Translation:I like him less than you.
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What would be the translation of 'I like him less than you do?' ...mniej niż ty?
The translation "I like him less than you" is ambiguous! It can mean two things:-
1). "I like him less than I like you", or
2). "I like him less than you like him" = "I like him less than you do" = "lubię go mniej niż ty (go lubisz)". The "go lubisz" is omitted in Polish as "like him" is omitted in English [ I like him less than you (like him) ]
The problem in English is that the pronoun "you" takes the same form in the nominative and the objective cases. Expressions using other pronouns do not lend themselves to ambiguity, however, many native English speakers don't appreciate the distinction, for example:
I like him more than she = I like him more than she likes him
I like him more than her = I like him more than I like her
Both are grammatically correct, but they have different meanings.
Many native English speakers say "I like him more than her" when they actually mean "I like him more than she". I'm guessing that the reason behind their thinking is that the nominative pronoun, in this case "she", should be followed by something else, which it usually is when it is at the beginning of a sentence. They feel more comfortable placing the objective pronoun, in this case "her" at the end of the sentence because it makes the sentence feel "complete".
Alright, I've deactivated the reverse exercise, which is indeed problematic due to the ambiguous nature of the English sentence.
Although this meaning follows from the original sentence, it is only an interpretation, it is not what the sentence says.
I am fully aware of what the original sentence says — That is blatantly obvious — refer to points 1 and 2.
I was answering alik1989's question: "What would be the translation of 'I like him less than you do?' ...mniej niż ty?"
My answer to his question is below his photo!!
I used ANOTHER example to illustrate the point further, so obviously, the example I used does not say what the original sentence says! :)
My sincerest apologies to you Dorothy. I can't imagine what happened. DarekUcello made his comment two years ago! I wonder if he's still alive!! I can't understand why your reply was directed to my email address — there must be a glitch in the program!
Once again, I apologise most profusely for the misunderstanding.
A teraz w naszym ukochanym języku!
Jeszcze raz, serdecznie przepraszam za nieporozumienie.
No problem, no offense taken.
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