What distinctions can I draw between using 'then' at the start and the end of a sentence in the following context?
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A: "It doesn't matter either way." B: "THEN why did you do it?"
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A: "It doesn't matter either way." B: "Why did you do it THEN?"
I understand that in some constructions, 'then' at the end of a sentence may be regarded as no more than an end-of-sentence marker, the kind you use to finish off a sentence e.g. See you at lunch then. However, in my case, 'then' conveys consequence or result, following on from the previous sentence, and both positions seem to pop up in conversations. Is it just a matter of preference/emphasis, or is one position a better fit than the other?
Finally, perhaps a slip of the tongue, every now and then I find myself speaking sentences bookended by 'then'. Going back to the same example:
- THEN why did you do it THEN?
Is this correct English? Or is it a case of redundancy?
Many thanks in advance.
Best Answer
would be the usual way. As you said, then joins the results and the consequences.
could be an end-of-sentence marker, but to me it seems to act as a softener. The reply starts out like an accusation (Why did you do it), so adding then tones it down a bit.
If you were really mad and hollered "Why did you do it" at someone, it is unlikely you would use then.