You don't matter much anymore

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

Is ‘you don’t matter much anymore’ correct (grammatically)? What does that mean? :slight_smile: (I’ve just incidentally met it surfing the Internet, and the phrase has attracted my attention).

Can I say ‘Things don’t matter much (anymore)’
?

2

Hi Tamara,

First I would separate any and more. You don’t matter much any more would suggest; You are no longer of any importance/significance any longer.

Things don’t matter any more means: things aren’t important any more.

Matter pops up everywhere as in:

What’s the matter?
What’s the matter with you?
No matter what you do/what you say/what happens …
It’s of no matter.
As a matter of fact.
The heart of the matter.
It really matters what you do.

And that’s the end of the matter for the moment

Alan

3

Hi Alan

Oops…

First, yes… I know, that (anymore) is AmE. :slight_smile:

I don’t buy books anymore because I don’t need any more books.
:slight_smile:

Second - thank you, Alan. It will take some time to deal with your answer - to answer (to ask more) :slight_smile:

Tamara

4

One more question… (for the moment :))

Could you say, which preposition (Good morning, Conchita :slight_smile: ;)) - to or for would be correct to continue the phrase:

It’s of no matter… - to/for me ?

and also, which of the two prepositions is better to be used in the phrases:
no good to/for me
looks/sounds good to/for me

(and why?)

5

Hi Tamara

I’d say it’s unusual to use either to me or for me since the usual expression would be “It doesn’t matter to me”. “It’s of no matter” would generally be used to make a general (rather than personal) statement of fact and the sentence (or clause) is likely to end with the word “matter”.

A few thoughts:

  • It’s no good to me = It’s worthless to me because I can’t use it or have no use for it or don’t need it
  • It looks/sounds good to me = My opinion is that something is appropriate/correct (in general)
  • It looks/sounds good for me = The chances that I (personally) will benefit seem to be good / It’s convenient for me

Maybe someone will have further input. :wink:

Amy

6

Good morning, Amy :slight_smile:

Thank you, thank God :slight_smile: from your explanation given for ‘looks/sounds’ the difference is clear.
To me and for me :slight_smile:

(My permanent problem with to me/for me is because in some sentences and contexts they are translated to Russian by the same grammar case…)

Amy, sorry for my Sunday morning grind, but… :slight_smile:

if I write something like: To me it’s not good. – with no comma after ‘To me’ - how do you make distinguish whether it is my general opinion (judge) or my particular prediction of worthlessness (lack of benefit for me - personally :)) ?

7

Hi Tamara,

I’ll have a bash now and come to your final point:

I’m going to have to disentangle this one. To me it’s not good sounds a bit confusing. I would suggest;

It doesn’t sound good to me, meaning that’s my .
opinion.

or

It’s no good to me meaning it will not help me or benefit me.

I hope this is of some good to you

Alan

8

Hi Alan

Thank you for that.

I feel that it would be better for me just stick to the ‘syntax’ rule (‘to me’ – opinion, ‘for me’ - benefit :slight_smile: ) - and with the rule I’ll make less mistakes than I make now, with my attempts to gain a feeling of the right semantic use of ‘to me/for me’ . :slight_smile:

… OK. Just in case I will avoid using the both form in the begining of a sentence - at all :slight_smile: