Question What difference does it make

xminus1

Sempai

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27 Apr 2018

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• 15 Feb 2019

• #1

Hello, friends:

I've noticed two almost identical expressions used in Minna dialogues without any editorial gloss, so I'm left wondering what distinction in meaning, if any, is expressed in each:

「ちょっと待っていて下さい」...distinction in meaning vs. 「ちょっと待って下さい」?​

I know that て-form + いる implies an ongoing action or continuing result, but beyond that basic idea is there possibly another distinction applicable for requests?

Thanks as always!

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

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Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

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• 15 Feb 2019

• #2

As you understand correctly, ～ている form exresses ongoing action or present state resulting from the past action, so the former ちょっと待っていて下さい is asking to be in the state of waiting, for instance, in a situation you leave someone, and ask them to stay there. On the other hand, the latter ちょっと待って下さい can be used also for asking to stop something, for instance, someone is leaving and you are trying to prevent them doing so, or someone is going to do something you don't want to be done and you object against it. "To wait" has both usages also in English; "Wait for a little while." vs, "Wait, wait, don't do it!", right?

 

xminus1

Sempai

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27 Apr 2018

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• 15 Feb 2019

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• #3

Ah, that is a fascinating distinction; that's the difference from just one extra いて!

Thank you, Toritoribe-sama, for sharing your knowledge!!

 

mdchachi

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6 Mar 2003

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• 15 Feb 2019

• #4

Doesn't 待っていて have a softer (politer) nuance than 待って? Somehow I came to that understanding but I could certainly be wrong.

 

xminus1

Sempai

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27 Apr 2018

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• 15 Feb 2019

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• #5

I'm trying to remember the context of the two different dialogues where these lines were spoken; I made notes of the sentences but it's been a couple of weeks since I read the original context. Nevertheless, I'm thinking this is a very insightful observation. The いて was, I believe, probably spoken by someone in the service industry like a waiter, and the non-いて was probably spoken by an 駅長, who is certainly more of an authority figure, and deference to the listener would be less pronounced. Thank you for this!

 

Toritoribe

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• 16 Feb 2019

• #6

As I wrote above, 待って can be used in a situation such like "Wait, wait, don't do it!", so it might cause such impression.

 

xminus1

Sempai

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27 Apr 2018

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• 16 Feb 2019

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• #7

Thank you!