7/30/2019 Miss_lack - WordReference Forums

1/2

8/28/13 miss/lack - WordReference Forums

forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2349247

forum.wordreference.com http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=234924

miss/lack - WordReference Forums

1. 4th February 2012, 11:03 PM #1

miss/lack

Hello!

I have a question what is the difference between the verbs "to miss" and "to lack". For

example, here, in this context: "Russian doesn't have the category of casuality of nouns,

and we ... this category for example, we ... a grammatical construction to express the

meaning I mentioned" but I'd appreciate more general answers as well, I just invented

this context.

My guess (based on dictionary entries) is that "I lack it" means "I don't have it"/"I don't

have enough of it", whereas "I miss it" means "I feel I don't have it"/"I feel I don't have

enough of it"/"I notice I don't have enough of it" therefore I need the word "miss"

instead of the first ellipsis, and the word "lack" instead of the second one:

1) because in the first case, we talk about a feeling caused by the lack, not the lack

itself we already mentioned the lack in the first clause, so the usage of "lack" would

make a repetition of the same thing, and we cannot use it here

2) because in the second case, we tell exactly that we don't have a grammatical

construction needed for a purpose, that is, we lack it, we have not enough language

means to express our thoughts no feelings are employed, so the verb "to miss" wouldsound rather strange.

But I'm not sure.

Thank you for any help

2.

3. 4th February 2012, 11:33 PM #2

Re: miss/lack

"we lack this category for example, we lack a grammatical construction to express the

meaning I mentioned."

To lack something = to not have something (usually something desirable or essential).

http://forum.wordreference.com/http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2349247&p=11800840#post11800840http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2349247&p=11800749#post11800749http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2349247http://forum.wordreference.com/

7/30/2019 Miss_lack - WordReference Forums

2/2

8/28/13 miss/lack - WordReference Forums

forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=2349247

"I would take the radio apart, but I lack a screwdriver." = "I would take the radio apart,

but I do not have screwdriver."

To miss = to regret the absence of something or someone. "I would take the radio apart

but I have lost my screwdriver, it was a particularly good one and Imiss it."

"My wife died three years ago and I stillmiss her. You ask if Ilacka wife I suppose I do

but I have no desire to remarry."

However, you can say,

to be missing something= (ii) to lack because of (i) the loss of [a previously owned]/an

object:

"I would take the radio apart, but Iam missing

a screwdriver. I can't find it anywhere, I must have lost it."

or

(ii) simply to lack

"I would take the radio apart, but Iam missinga very long screwdriver - I must buy one.

Last edited by PaulQ 4th February 2012 at 11:41 PM.

"There are no rules in English, only guidance. Some guidance looks like a rule it

probably isn't."