I heard the cow's bell ringing earlier

Question

I heard the cow's bell ringing earlier.

I am not sure exactly about the meaning of "earlier" in this sentence. It was in a test about "genitive".

Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes, what is the difference between "earlier" and "before"?.

If there is some difference, of course.

They have similar meanings when used in reference to time: before generally means "earlier than". However, there are some differences:

I have done it before. = there were one or more previous occasions when I have done the same thing

I did it earler = I already did it.

They called me the day before Easter. = common usage

They called me a day earlier than Easter. = sounds strange

They called me before I expected. = wrong

They called earlier than I expected. =common usage

They called me before I was ready. = common usage

They called me earlier than I was ready. = wrong

Well said Lorenzo! - annierats, Nov 8, 2011

Answer 2

"Earlier" no tiene nada que ver con "genitive" en esta frase ("cow's" tiene la forma genitiva).

"Earlier" puede ser adjetivo o adverbio y también puede ser comparativo (early, earlier, earliest), pero en este caso es adverbio y no es comparativo. Aquí "earlier" sólo se refiere a cualquier hora antes de ahora.

Oí antes la campanilla de la vaca.

Oí anteriormente la campanilla de la vaca.

I heard the cow's bell earlier.

(No estoy seguro si he traducido "bell" correctamente. Es el tipo de "bell" que vacas llevan en el cuello. It's the kind of bell that cows wear on their neck.)

muy buena respuesta, web :) - cogumela, Nov 8, 2011

Sí, campanilla se entiende. También se dice cencerro :) - cogumela, Nov 8, 2011

Answer 3

The "earlier" is relating to the past of the verb "to hear". In other words earlier is agreeing with heard . It is a grammatical agreement which I believe is the meaning of genitive. Where's Lazarus when you want him, hehe.

Genitive only concerns nouns and is a complicated way of saying possessive (more or less). In this sentence, cow's is in the genitive form. - webdunce, Nov 8, 2011

By the way, whether the 's could be considered a true genitive is probably debatable. German has a true genitive as does Latin. I think many of the Slavic languages do, too. - webdunce, Nov 8, 2011

(It's usually an ending put on a noun. Many languages have noun declinsion, which is where you put different endings on a noun depending on whether it's the subject, the DO, the IO, showing possession, etc. - webdunce, Nov 8, 2011

As an adverb, earlier doesn't agree with anything. It modifies the verb to hear. Agreement refers, for instance, to the change in the endings of an adjective to agree with the modified noun. The adjective must agree with the modified noun. - Jeremias, Nov 8, 2011

Lazarus?. I haven't seen his answers for ages. - nila45, Nov 8, 2011

Answer 4

I heard the cows' bells earlier means that you heard it earlier, for example, this morning. We had this argument earlier means we argued about this recently, maybe a t teatime.

I have heard cows' bells before means that you have heard them in the past, for exaple in 1953 so the sound is not a novelty to you.

We've had this argument before means you've been through all this before, it's a repetition of an old argument.

A native or advanced speaker is needed for good translations into Spanish here.

I would say that earlier generally is tranlated as antes de . Before can also often bve translated as antes de.

So, we seem to have a case where English differs! Also, I'm very bad at explaining, Lorenzo has some good examples in his reply. They are not interchangeable, go carefully .

Answer 5

Yes, what is the difference between "earlier" and "before"?.

If there is some difference, of course.

Yes, Nila, they are very different! - annierats, Nov 8, 2011

Answer 6

By the way, what does "earlier" have to do with "hear"?. I cannot guess it. Is it because the sentence is in the past?

An adverb modifies a verb, or really any part of speech other than a noun, frequently by answering questions such as how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent?.

In this case, "earlier" refers to when the act of hearing happened.

Answer 7

Yes, here is. It was in the dictionary, too.

Me lo deberías haber dicho antes

You should have told me before o earlier

You know, as I am used to use "before" instead of "earlier".

By the way, what does "earlier" have to do with "hear"?. I cannot guess it. Is it because the sentence is in the past?