In a message dated 11/28/06 2:42:39 PM, [log in to unmask] writes:
They are pragmatically different. In “Jack hit the ball to me”, “to me” is new information or focus. In “Jack hit me the ball”, “the ball” is focus. They would be used in different contexts. Of course focus can also be shifted with intonation, but I’m not assuming that here. Analytically the two mean the same thing, but functionally they are quite different.
Actually, I detect some difference in meaning here. "Jack hit the ball to me" seems to be a statement of where Jack hit the ball. "Jack hit me the ball" seems to me to suggest more intention on Jack's part. More like I needed some practice out there at shortstop so Jack hit me a few grounders.
If I'm right about the subtle difference in meaning, then, of course, that would push me toward "to me" as adverbial pp and "hit me the ball" as indirect o.
Peter Adams
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