“Over the years” and “many years”
What is the difference between these two sentences?
I have searched for it over the years.
I have searched for it for many years.
Thank you.
grammar
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
add a comment |
What is the difference between these two sentences?
I have searched for it over the years.
I have searched for it for many years.
Thank you.
grammar
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
What is the difference between these two sentences?
I have searched for it over the years.
I have searched for it for many years.
Thank you.
grammar
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
What is the difference between these two sentences?
I have searched for it over the years.
I have searched for it for many years.
Thank you.
grammar
grammar
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
edited 37 mins ago
Ivan Olshansky
169111
169111
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
asked 1 hour ago
Amy Pop
161
161
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
I don't think there's much difference in objective meaning (RegDwight points out that the first one doesn't say "many", but I think it is implicit).
To me, there is a difference in the feeling. "Over the years" sounds as if it's something closer to the speaker, something important to them in an emotional way. It is a phrase of story-telling. "For many years" doesn't have that impact: it doesn't exclude the possibility of an emotional investment, but it doesn't require it either.
Other than the fact that "over the years" sounds like a narrative style, I can't account for why I get these differences between them.
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f479570%2fover-the-years-and-many-years%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I don't think there's much difference in objective meaning (RegDwight points out that the first one doesn't say "many", but I think it is implicit).
To me, there is a difference in the feeling. "Over the years" sounds as if it's something closer to the speaker, something important to them in an emotional way. It is a phrase of story-telling. "For many years" doesn't have that impact: it doesn't exclude the possibility of an emotional investment, but it doesn't require it either.
Other than the fact that "over the years" sounds like a narrative style, I can't account for why I get these differences between them.
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
add a comment |
I don't think there's much difference in objective meaning (RegDwight points out that the first one doesn't say "many", but I think it is implicit).
To me, there is a difference in the feeling. "Over the years" sounds as if it's something closer to the speaker, something important to them in an emotional way. It is a phrase of story-telling. "For many years" doesn't have that impact: it doesn't exclude the possibility of an emotional investment, but it doesn't require it either.
Other than the fact that "over the years" sounds like a narrative style, I can't account for why I get these differences between them.
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
add a comment |
I don't think there's much difference in objective meaning (RegDwight points out that the first one doesn't say "many", but I think it is implicit).
To me, there is a difference in the feeling. "Over the years" sounds as if it's something closer to the speaker, something important to them in an emotional way. It is a phrase of story-telling. "For many years" doesn't have that impact: it doesn't exclude the possibility of an emotional investment, but it doesn't require it either.
Other than the fact that "over the years" sounds like a narrative style, I can't account for why I get these differences between them.
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
I don't think there's much difference in objective meaning (RegDwight points out that the first one doesn't say "many", but I think it is implicit).
To me, there is a difference in the feeling. "Over the years" sounds as if it's something closer to the speaker, something important to them in an emotional way. It is a phrase of story-telling. "For many years" doesn't have that impact: it doesn't exclude the possibility of an emotional investment, but it doesn't require it either.
Other than the fact that "over the years" sounds like a narrative style, I can't account for why I get these differences between them.
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
answered 41 secs ago
Colin Fine
63.7k170161
63.7k170161
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f479570%2fover-the-years-and-many-years%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Well, for starters, one says "many" while the other does not. So one specifically covers a long period of time while the other, just a period unspecified. As an aside, you probably meant to say you searched for it. Otherwise what you are saying is, that "it", whatever it is, spent all these years standing right next to you and you spent all these years rummaging through its pockets.
– RegDwigнt♦
1 hour ago