The South African guy in my office answered this question as:
1. I can't agree with you anymore.--> Don't agree.
2. I can't agree with you more.--> Agree.
3. I can't agree with you any more.--> Kind of confusing to him.
He won't use this sentense.
4. I can't agree with you no more.--> Black people's English? Also means agree.
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.
I don't approve with 1, 3, 4.
To agree with someone or to something is a condition or a state of mind instead of an ability. This is likewise the way foreigners say that they do or do not speak some kind of languge, instead of using "I can/cannot speak Chinese".
Therefore I hardly ever heard them say such sentences like "I can't agree with you anymore".
As for number 2, it's a kind of sentence pattern to describe an extreme situation by using:
... cannot + V ...+ adj.比較級/最高級
Eg. Things can't get worse under this circumsstance.
To me, being able to use a language is an ability. Saying " I can't speak Chinese." makes more sense to me. Based on your theory, if a foreigner says " I don't speak Chinese," they are saying that they are able to communicate in Chinese but they choose not to do it."
Although we Taiwanese are quite familiar with the expression "I can't agree with you more," when I look up my dictionaries, the expression I found in three dictionaries is slightly different - "I couldn't agree more." [Longman, Macmillan, and Cambridge]
Georgia 寫:I don't approve with 1, 3, 4.
To agree with someone or to something is a condition or a state of mind instead of an ability. This is likewise the way foreigners say that they do or do not speak some kind of languge, instead of using "I can/cannot speak Chinese".
Therefore I hardly ever heard them say such sentences like "I can't agree with you anymore".
As for number 2, it's a kind of sentence pattern to describe an extreme situation by using:
... cannot + V ...+ adj.比較級/最高級
Eg. Things can't get worse under this circumsstance.
Hi Georgia, I think the order numbers you mentioned follow the order of Rock's, not Jacky's, right? Otherwise it would be a little confusing.
Kooper 寫:To me, being able to use a language is an ability. Saying " I can't speak Chinese." makes more sense to me. Based on your theory, if a foreigner says " I don't speak Chinese," they are saying that they are able to communicate in Chinese but they choose not to do it."
I think "I can't speak Chinese" and "I don't speak Chinese" have the same meaning for me.
I asked my l/e partner about the difference between "I don't agree with you"
and "I can't agree with you."
I'll use Chinese to explain it as the following below:
如果是表示想法、狀態、認知上的不同意，用「I don't agree with you」，
這種就是我們一般用 don't 表達一種 state of mind 的用法。
如果是「I can't agree with you.」，其使用情境一定有一個語境作為前提，
說這句話的人也許想要「agree」，但卻因為某些因素，有其不可以 agree
的苦衷；換句話說，如果 agree 了就會有無法避免的 consequence。然而
以說話者的身份或立場，不能讓那樣的 consequence 發生，或無法/不願承
擔那樣的責任，便會說「I can't agree...」了，例如某個政策會損害大多數
人民的利益，執政者便可以說「I cannot agree to that policy.」，表示即使
他願意也不可以同意的一個狀況，有點迫不得已的味道。不論說話者的初衷
是同意還是不同意，當他說出「I cannot agree...」時，就是有種時勢迫人，
客觀條件使我們不可以同意的意味。
Kooper 寫:To me, being able to use a language is an ability. Saying " I can't speak Chinese." makes more sense to me. Based on your theory, if a foreigner says " I don't speak Chinese," they are saying that they are able to communicate in Chinese but they choose not to do it."
sorry Kooper, I missed this post. Here is my reply for your post.
When a foreigner says "I don't speak Chinese." , it could mean two different situations.
1. He knows Chinese, but he doesn't use this language. He prefers other language instead.
2. He doesn't know Chinese, and of course he doesn't speak Chinese -- that's probably why he never learned Chinese.
When a foreigner tells you "I don't speak Chinese", it's a little pointless to find out whether he knows Chinese or not. He 's not going to use Chinese anyway. heehee....
If all that wasn't confusing enough, how about saying " I cannot disagree with you no more" (and walk away)
Been away, haven't seen you in a while.
How've you been?
Have you changed your style and do you think
That we've grown up differently? Don't seem the same
Seems you've lost your feel for me
So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys.
There's only you and me and we just disagree.
Ooo - ooo - ooohoo oh - oh - o-whoa
I'm going back to a place that's far away. How bout you?
Have you got a place to stay? Why should I care?
When I'm just trying to get along We were friends
But now it's the end of our love song...
So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys.
There's only you and me and we just disagree.
Ooo - ooo - ooohoo oh - oh - o-whoa
So let's leave it alone, 'cause we can't see eye to eye.
There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys.
There's only you and me and we just disagree.
Ooo - ooo - ooohoo oh - oh - o-whoa
I am not abandoning Yoyo, I am just dancing slowly away from it.
