Is the word tell a noun - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

Garin

Hello, everyone,
in the movie I am translating, there is a dialogue based on a various usage of the word «tell». They even use it as a noun but I am not quite sure what do they mean by it.

A: You have a tell.
B: What is my tell?
A: Are you kidding? If I tell you your tell, you’ll get rid of it then I won’t be able to tell.

Could you, please, help me out?

In poker, a «tell» is a sign that a person makes that reveals something about their hand.
It could be that when they have a good hand, they unconsciously scratch their ear, or that when they are bluffing, they always cough when they raise. But it is some unconscious, or unintentional action that «tells» the other players what kinds of cards they are holding.

Garin

That makes sense, thank you Sharifa345.

I would say that ‘tell’ is refering to a particular mannerism of the person that gives information about himself in an unknowing fashion. It might be the way he walks or holds himself, maybe he fiddles with his tie or has a habit of rubbing his nose.

These sorts of mannerism can ‘tell’ something about a person and they may not be aware of it.

For example: A person when they are telling a lie may habitually fuss with their clothing. This action could ‘tell’ another person that they are being lied to if the second person knows what to look for.

A: Are you kidding? If I tell you your tell, you’ll get rid of it then I won’t be able to tell.

This statement shows that person A has found a mannerism in person B that gives him extra information. If he lets person B know what it is, then person B may consiously stop doing the action, and therefore person A will not have the advantage they do now.

Loob

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For those interested in a little info about this site: it’s a side project that I developed while working on Describing Words and Related Words. Both of those projects are based around words, but have much grander goals. I had an idea for a website that simply explains the word types of the words that you search for — just like a dictionary, but focussed on the part of speech of the words. And since I already had a lot of the infrastructure in place from the other two sites, I figured it wouldn’t be too much more work to get this up and running.

The dictionary is based on the amazing Wiktionary project by wikimedia. I initially started with WordNet, but then realised that it was missing many types of words/lemma (determiners, pronouns, abbreviations, and many more). This caused me to investigate the 1913 edition of Websters Dictionary — which is now in the public domain. However, after a day’s work wrangling it into a database I realised that there were far too many errors (especially with the part-of-speech tagging) for it to be viable for Word Type.

Finally, I went back to Wiktionary — which I already knew about, but had been avoiding because it’s not properly structured for parsing. That’s when I stumbled across the UBY project — an amazing project which needs more recognition. The researchers have parsed the whole of Wiktionary and other sources, and compiled everything into a single unified resource. I simply extracted the Wiktionary entries and threw them into this interface! So it took a little more work than expected, but I’m happy I kept at it after the first couple of blunders.

Special thanks to the contributors of the open-source code that was used in this project: the UBY project (mentioned above), @mongodb and express.js.

Currently, this is based on a version of wiktionary which is a few years old. I plan to update it to a newer version soon and that update should bring in a bunch of new word senses for many words (or more accurately, lemma).

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Britannica Dictionary definition of TELL

[+ object]

to say or write (something) to (someone)

He told us the story.
Has she told you the good news, yet?
Please tell us your name and occupation.
She looked at the palm of my hand and told me my fortune.
I promise not to tell anyone your secret. = I promise not to tell your secret to anyone.

— often + about

You can tell me all about your trip at dinner.

— often + that

If you see her, tell her (that) we miss her.
People tell me (that) Paris is nice this time of year.
I keep telling myself (that) everything will be OK.
My husband tells/told me (that) you play golf.

— often + what, where, etc.

He told us what happened.
Can you tell them how to play the game while I get the cards?
I can’t tell you how pleased we are [=we are very pleased] that you could join us.

◊ This sense of tell is often used informally to emphasize a statement.

You are wrong, I tell you.
I can tell you —it’s not worth the hassle.
I’m telling you, I don’t know anyone by that name.
I’ll tell you one thing: she was awfully arrogant.
I’ll tell you something/this: I would never have bought that car.
Let me tell you (something): he may be old, but he can still win baseball games.
To tell you the truth, I didn’t really like the movie.
“The car turned out to be a lemon!” “What did I tell you?” [=you should have listened to me; you should have followed my advice]

to say (a word or words) to (someone)

I didn’t get a chance to tell him goodbye. [=to say goodbye to him]
If you see her, tell her hello for me.
“I feel sick,” he told his mom.

to give information to (someone) by speaking or writing

[+ object]

“What is his name?” “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me.”
Be sure to tell me when they get here. = When they get here, be sure to tell me (so).
“I know the answer.” “Don’t tell me. [=don’t say what the answer is] I want to guess.”
“Do you know where the library is?” “I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you.” [=I don’t know]

[no object]

“Who is the letter from?” “I’m not telling.”

to let (someone) know a secret

[+ object]

I promise not to tell anyone.
I can’t tell you because it’s a secret.

[no object]

Your secret is safe with me: I’ll never tell.

[+ object]

to express (something) by speaking

He loves telling stories/jokes.
You shouldn’t tell [=reveal] other people’s secrets.
She got in trouble for telling a lie.
I’m telling the truth.
I didn’t really like the movie, to tell the truth. [=to say what I really think]
Truth be told [=to say what the truth is], the food was pretty bad.

[+ object]

to give (someone) an instruction or command

Be quiet and do what I tell you. = Be quiet and do as you’re told.

— usually followed by to + verb

The police officer told him to stop.
I was told to stay here.
I’ll tell them to meet us there at 6 o’clock.
I told myself to pick up some milk on the way home, but I forgot to do it.
You can’t tell me what to do.

to inform others that someone has done something wrong or behaved badly

— used especially by children

[no object]

If you do that, I’ll tell.

[+ object]

I’m telling Mom.

—

see also tell on 1 (below)

[+ object]

to give information to (someone or something) by doing a particular action or making a particular sound

When the dog scratches at the door, she is telling you that she wants to go outside.
The oven will beep to tell you when it is preheated.

[+ object]

to make (something) known to (someone)

The expressions on their faces told me everything I needed to know.
The evidence tells us that there were two robbers.
The signs will tell you what exit to take off the highway.

not used in progressive tenses,

[+ object]

to see or understand the differences between two people or things

I can definitely tell a/the difference between the two sauces.
They look exactly the same. How can you tell which is which?
I can’t tell who is who with their uniforms on.
He is old enough to tell right from wrong. [=to know what things are good and what things are bad]

not used in progressive tenses

to see or know (something) with certainty

[+ object]

It was easy to tell that the bill was counterfeit.
It’s hard to tell if she’s kidding or not.

— usually used after can or could

“He’s lying.” “Really? How can you tell?”
I could tell (by/from the look on his face) that he was lying.
You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of car they drive.
No one can tell for sure whether it will happen.
Who can tell [=who can predict] what will happen next season?
You can never tell what type of mood he will be in.
You never can tell how he’ll be feeling.

[no object]

You might win the raffle—you never can tell.
As far/near as I can tell, he is happy at his new job. [=he seems to me to be happy in his new job]

— used to show that you already know what someone is going to say especially because he or she often says such things

“I have a favor to ask of you.” “Don’t tell me—I bet you need to borrow more money, don’t you?”

— used to express surprise and disappointment

“Don’t tell me the concert tickets were all sold out?!” “No, I bought the last two tickets.”

I/I’ll tell you what

informal

also

tell you what

— used to introduce a suggestion or to emphasize a statement

(I’ll) Tell you what—I’ll let you borrow the car if you fill it up with gas.
I tell you what, I wouldn’t pay that much for a pair of shoes.

— used to say to someone that you were right about something especially when that person disagreed with you

“You were right after all.” “See. I told you so!”

tell against

[phrasal verb]

tell against (someone)

British, formal

to be a disadvantage to (someone)

His unkempt appearance is bound to tell against him in court.

tell apart

[phrasal verb]

tell (someone or something) apart

to see what the differences are between (people or things)

to identify (people or things that look similar to each other)

They look so much alike that I can barely/hardly/scarcely tell them apart.
It is hard telling the twins apart.

tell it like it is

US, informal

to say what the facts are

to speak about unpleasant things in an honest way

I don’t want to offend anyone; I’m just telling it like it is.
You can always count on John to tell it like it is.

tell me

— used in speech to introduce a question

Tell me, is there a subway nearby?
So tell me, what did you think of the movie?

tell me about it

informal

— used to say that you understand what someone is talking about because you have had the same or a similar experience

“Something is wrong with that computer.” “Yeah, tell me about it. I can never get it to work properly.”

tell of

[phrasal verb]

formal + literary

tell of (something)

to be evidence of (something)

indicate

Her smile told of her good news.
His rough hands tell of a hard life.

to describe (something)

to make the details of (something) known

The article tells of her Arctic journey.
The explorer’s journals tell of a vast unexplored wilderness.

tell (someone) of (something)

to talk to (someone) about (something)

He told us of his plans to move to the city.

tell (someone) off

tell off (someone)

informal

to yell at or insult (someone who did or said something that made you angry)

He wished that he could tell his boss off.

— often + for

She told him off for spreading rumors about her.

British

to criticize (someone) in an angry way from a position of authority

— often + for

The teacher told the girl off for talking during class.

tell on (someone)

informal

to tell someone in authority about the bad behavior or actions of (someone)

Please don’t tell on me.

tell on (someone or something)

not used in progressive tenses

to have a noticeable effect on (someone or something)

The stress began to tell on her face/health.

tell time

tell the time

—

see ¹time

there’s no telling

— used to say that it is impossible to know something with certainty

There’s no telling how long the strike will last.

you’re telling me

informal

— used to say that you already know and completely agree with something that was just said

“This hot weather is brutal.” “You’re telling me.”

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While making sentences and while speaking, we may not realize specific syntax and subject-verb agreement errors. Still, these concepts become very important because of their ability to determine the proficiency of our English speaking and writing skills.

The recruiters and interviewers seek people who know complex and minutest subjects.

Say and Tell may have been used interchangeably sometimes, but it is essential to understand the difference in implications and contexts of use for the terms.

Key Takeaways

“Say” and “tell” are both verbs used to convey spoken communication, but “say” focuses on the words or phrases spoken. In contrast, “tell” emphasizes informing or giving information to someone.

“Say” can be used with or without a direct object and often requires the use of quotation marks or the word “that” to introduce the statement, whereas “tell” requires a direct object, usually a person, to whom the information is being relayed.

Both verbs are essential for describing various aspects of spoken communication, but their usage depends on the context and the sentence’s focus.

The difference between Say and Tell is that Say is used to characterize the actions of uttering something, maybe an opinion or a suggestion. In contrast, Tell communicates instructions, orders, and advice. Different forms of Say can be used to quote dialogues and speeches and to make comments, while other forms of Tell can be used to show certainty and emphasis.

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Comparison Table

Parameter od Comparison	Say	Tell
Definition	Say describes the action of uttering some opinions, instructions, or suggestions. As a noun, it refers to someone’s right to give ideas, views, or recommendations.	Tell is used to communicate facts, instructions, or orders to someone. It is also a particular action in Poker, used as a noun.
Type of Speech	It can be used as a Verb, as a Noun, or as an Exclamation.	It can be used as a Verb or as a Noun (seldom) only.
Origin	It originated from Germanic.	It originated from Arabic.
Object	While using Say in a sentence, mentioning the object isn’t necessary.	While using Tell in a Sentence, the recognition of the object is necessary.
Sentence Structure	We always “Say Something” or “Say Something to Someone.” ‘To’ is used when an object is involved.	We always, “Tell someone something.” ‘To’ is not involved.
Usage	It can be used to quote someone, make comments, and report.	It is used to advise, order, or instruct
Special Phrases	‘He said that, ‘‘I’ll say,’ and ‘One can’t Say.’	‘I can tell you,’ ‘No one can tell,’ or ‘I told you so.’
Example	He said, “Everyone would be awarded for their work.”	He told me, “Exercise can make you fit.”

When to Use Say?

Say is used in English Sentences and is a bit complex to understand. Different usages of Say must be understood to have proper syntax and correct sentence structure.

It can be used as a verb, an exclamation, or a noun. As a verb, three primary forms are, say, said, and saying. We always “ say something” or “say something to someone”; this is how the sentence structure goes.

Verb:

As reporting verb: To utter something to convey information, suggestion, emotions, intention, or instruction; for example, He said the meeting was critical.
With direct speech: To quote the sentences of someone. This is done when the speaker’s speech is conveyed to someone in the original form. For example: “Welcome,” he said.
Of a text: To give out information and instructions. For example, The judgment said that he was guilty.

Noun: Used in the singular form: This means an opportunity to state one’s views and recommendations and an opportunity to influence community decisions and structures. For example, everyone must have an equal say in decision-making in an organization.

Exclamation: In informal North American English, to convey surprise or excitement towards a question or remark. For example, Say It!

There exist specific phrases with which only say and its forms are used. These are ‘have something to say for oneself,’ ‘go without saying,’ ‘What say you,’ ‘I’ll say,’ ‘One can not say,’ ‘not to say,’ ‘I wouldn’t say no,’ and ‘says you.’

say

When to Use Tell?

Tell is sometimes used interchangeably with say. It is important to note that similar words can have different meanings and specific contexts and sentence structures sometimes.

Tell can be used as a Noun or verb; the most common forms are telling, told, and tells. We always “tell someone something.” This is how the sentence structure must go.

Verb:

As reporting verb: To communicate news, statements, or information to someone; for example, I told her the meeting minutes.
With Object and Clause: For example, She told me you were coming.
With Direct Speech and Clause: Example,“ Go away,” I told him.
With two objects: For example, Everyone must be told the truth.
To order, advise, or instruct someone: For example, I am telling you to exercise can make you fit.
When no object: Disclosing information that is private and confidential. For example, “I promise, I won’t tell.”

With clause: To say something with emphasis and certainty. For example, I can tell you they’re hiding something.

Noun: An action in Poker to deceive an attempted betrayal.

It is also used with specific phrases like “as far as one can tell,” “I can tell you,” “tell me like it is,” “ Tell me about it,” and “I told you so.”

tell

Main Differences Between Say and Tell

To say means to utter something, maybe an opinion or a recommendation, while to tell means to communicate some information or instructions to someone.

Say can be used as a verb, noun, or exclamation, while Tell can be used as a verb and noun (seldom) only.
A sentence with Say may or may not mention the object, while mentioning the thing in sentences involving Tell is often necessary and crucial.
The sentence structure for Say would be either ‘Say Something’ or ‘Say Something to Someone’ while that of sentences with Tell would be ‘Tell someone something.’ ‘To’ is strictly used with objects in the former case, while ‘To’ is strictly not used in the latter.
Say is used to voice opinions and suggestions, while Tell conveys instructions, orders, and advice.

References

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/say
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/tell

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.

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The words ‘say’ and ‘tell’ both are irregular verbs, as their past participle form, do not have a regular ‘ed’ ending, i.e. say becomes said and tell becomes told. While the word ‘say‘ is used to utter something verbally, ‘tell‘ can be used to give information, give evidence or orders to a person.

So, the first and foremost difference between these two is that we do not mention whom we are referring to, in the case of ‘say’, but we mention it in case of ‘tell’. Let’s take a look at the examples given below for better understanding:

Maria says she has no siblings to talk with. I told her that she can talk to me.
She said, “I will tell you the truth, at the right time.”
Tell him to say what she feels.
He was telling me that you were saying illness about me.

In the above examples, you might have observed that with say you express your thought, feelings etc. But with ‘tell’ you inform someone about something or to direct someone.

Content: Say Vs Tell

Comparison Chart
Definition
Key Differences
Examples
How to remember the difference

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison	Say	Tell
Meaning	Say means to utter words, in order to express opinion, feeling or give some information.	Tell means to provide information to a person either orally or in writing.
Part of speech	Verb and Noun	Verb
Receiver	When we use say we needn’t mention the receiver.	When we use tell we must mention the receiver.
Usage	Exact quotes and questions.	Orders, advice and instruction.
Example	I am not going to say anything on this matter.	I told her, to stay away from this matter.
She said, «She wants to be alone.»	Kate told me that she is going to Mumbai.
What did she say?	The teacher told us to complete the project on time.

Definition of Say

Whenever you are uttering a word or speaking something, you are actually saying it. It is used to express your opinion, suggestion, feelings, emotions, etc. and also to deliver some information. It can be used in the following ways:

As a verb:

To state, i.e. to utter words:
- I said I don’t believe in ghosts.
- Don’t say anything.
- I would like to say something.
- Jack says he likes bananas.
To provide information:
- Office policies say that employees should come to the office on time or else the salary for the concerned day would be deducted.
- The watch says it’s 2’O clock.
To assume something:
- Let’s say we get interest @ of 10%, then what amount you will invest.
To repeat something:
- Say cheese.

As an exclamation:

To show a feeling of shock or surprise and also to seek attention concerning what you are going to speak:
- Say! do you really think I should request him for help?

As a noun:

It indicates the right or opportunity to speak about something:
- Rishabh has no say in his family.
- The mediator has the final say in the argument.

Definition of Tell

The word ‘tell’ is used to narrate, communicate, discern, instruct or announce something to someone. So, the name of a person or an object pronoun must follow the verb ‘tell’. The uses of say are given as under:

Tell is used to speak something about a person, in order to inform them:
- When I told him the truth, she was shocked.
- My mother tells me funny stories.
- You must not believe everything your colleagues tell you.
To give orders, directions or instructions:
- Tell him to stay away from me.
- The teacher told me the process of completing the practical.
- My mom told me to wake up early in the morning.
It can also be used to know something:
- Tell me about your future plans.
- Can you tell me, if this bus goes to Amritsar?
To show, reveal or represent:
- This device tells you the exact GPS location of a person.
- The picture tells you the entire story.
For providing some personal, private or confidential information, or secret:
- Please don’t tell it to anyone.

Key Differences Between Say and Tell

The differences between say and tell can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

The word ‘say’ is used to state something, specifically opinion, feelings, suggestions and so forth. On the other hand, tell is used to say something to a person, i.e. provide information or narrate something.
While say can be used as a noun, verb and interjection, tell can only be used as a verb.
When you use the word ‘say’, we needn’t use the name of the person to whom we refer. As against, to use the word ‘tell’ we need to use the name of the person or an object pronoun, i.e. him, her, them, us etc. to indicate the person, whom we refer.
Basically, say is used with exact quotes and questions (in the direct speech), however, in case of indirect speech we use the word ‘asked’. Conversely, tell is mainly used when we give orders, instructions and advise.

Examples

Say

She wants to say something.
I didn’t say anything to Paul.
Would you like to say something?

Tell

I told her to register online for the classes.
Tell Robin I said hello.
He told me to get the subject books.

How to remember the difference

While using these two words in your sentence, you should keep in mind that use you do not use object pronoun with ‘say’, as it is used only with ‘tell’. Further, when something in expressed in the exact words, use said and not tell, as tell is used with instructions and command.

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