Today, it is St valentine’s day and I heard a lady on TV saying “I am happy being single”.
I thought about what we are taught at school for creating this meaning. We were taught to give this meaning by means of a sentence like this: “I am happy that I am single.”. Because, there are two separate sentences in this long sentence: 1) I am happy. 2) I am single, so it feels we should use “that” to combine those two separate sentences, shouldn’t we?.
However, the lady’s sentence seems to be shorter and more practical. I thought I could use it if her way of combining two separate sentences this way is completely the same and correct.
So, I wonder is there any difference between the following sentences:
- I am happy that I am single.
- I am happy being single.
And if they are all the same in meaning, can we combine any two such separate sentences without having to use “that”?
Answer
There is a slight difference, though it might not matter.
I am happy that X means that I am satisfied with X, or approving of X. It doesn’t say whether I am generally happy in my life. So I am sorry you were in a car crash, but happy that you were uninjured makes sense. I am happy about X has a similar meaning.
On the other hand, I am happy being X, while it could have the same sort of restricted meaning, more naturally means something like I am generally happy in my life, because (or even though) I am X. (The tone of voice will generally tell you whether the relation is “because” or “even though”).
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : yunus , Answer Author : Colin Fine
