Is US just tantalizing Iran

[John_Mace]

@QuickSilver

Well, a deal is tantalizingly close.

Slap this guy with a wet sturgeon from the Caspian Sea!

[Nema98]

@Reza

Thanks everyone for sharing their views,

So, where should questions and topics like this go in?

This one Great Debates, if it were a general question then General Questions. Now if it were about an election in Iran, then Elections would be the place.

[Steken]

@Diceman

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has had the anti-US rhetoric dialed up to 11 from the start of the negotiations. Whatever the diplomats might say or think, there’s really nothing to indicate that the Big Guy in Tehran is even slightly inclined to give two craps.

Now that a deal is done, Khameini will most likely repeat some variation of the “heroic leniency” trope from 2013, under which he authorised Rouhani to go ahead with the negotiations in the first place. And if some eccentric Revolutionary Guard brigadier general as much as raises a finger in protest, the big boss’ll have 'im squashed.

Welcome to the Middle East, my friend.

[Ravenman]

@Diceman

We can start with this. Many similar examples can be found with a simple Google search. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has had the anti-US rhetoric dialed up to 11 from the start of the negotiations. Whatever the diplomats might say or think, there’s really nothing to indicate that the Big Guy in Tehran is even slightly inclined to give two craps.

So if Iran breaks the agreement, sanctions come back. Probably even stronger sanctions (if that’s possible) than today, since there’d be no question that Iran was acting in bad faith.

So, what’s wrong with that?

[QuickSilver]

I’m watching Rouhani give his address to Iran, talking about the agreement just reached by 5+1. I’m not sure if the interpreter is incompetent or is this guy is just rambling incoherently?.. I think both.

[Reza]

@John_Mace

That’s not the way it’s really used in the US, though. “Tantalizing” is more often used as an adjective or adverb, and not much as a verb:

The diamond had a tantalizing beauty.
The diamond was tantalizingly beautiful.

FYI.

“Teasing” or “playing with” is what you were looking for.

American Heritage
Tantalize (verb): to excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keep it out of reach
So, my usage is correct.
To be correct or incorrect is a horse of different color from being or not being common!

[Reza]

@iiandyiiii

I’ve heard “tantalize” used as a verb before, as the OP did – I don’t think it’s particularly unusual. I understood the phrase, though not exactly what the OP meant by it with regards to the negotiations.

It’s crystal clear, substitute tantalize with tease, excite , . . . or other synonyms.

[Reza]

@John_Mace

I think it’s pretty unusual. Imagine a mother saying: Billy, stop tantalizing your sister! It’s not really a synonym for “teasing”. It’s has the connotation of alluring or tempting or mesmerizing.

And on that note, I’ll end my participation in this little side discussion.

Yes, because not all synonym words can be replaced in all contexts.

[Reza]

@SciFiSam

Your English on these boards is not at CAE level. I’ve been teaching it for twenty years and have marked the exams, too. You may well have passed the exam some time but your usage here doesn’t reflect that; it’s good, but not CAE level (Cambridge Advanced English, btw).

Tantalising does not mean what you think it means but I’m not going to explain in more detail to someone who’s got so much misplaced arrogance about their language skills - not for free, anyway.

American Heritage
Tantalize (verb): to excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keep it out of reach
Longman contemporary
to show or promise something that someone really wants, but then not allow them to have it
Example in Longman:
It was wiser not to tantalize oneself.
What were her many mysteries, she tantalized herself, replaying all the loves she’d ever known.

[Reza]

@John_Mace

Slap this guy with a wet sturgeon from the Caspian Sea!

That was a rude one !

[Reza]

@Nema98

This one Great Debates, if it were a general question then General Questions. Now if it were about an election in Iran, then Elections would be the place.

Nah, it was not in the least about Iran election. I asked people if US is just trying to show they want to have a deal with Iran but in fact their intention is something else, and second; how possible they think WW III will take place.

[Reza]

I’m bewildered by your saying that I sounded arrogant. Which words of mine you took this much arrogance in me about my language ability? I just wanted to say that I know enough English not to err on some basics and not to cause misunderstanding. That’s it.

On the contrary, I always appreciate others correct my English, that’s why I’m primarily here for.

Regarding comments/answers about incorrect English I always insist on substantiated answers and reasons; not just saying, because it doesn’t sound normal here !

There are so many things in my language which they are not common amid people but it is grammatically correct indeed. So this is the same for other languages for sure.

As a parting shot, I admit that when some usages and collocations are not common in a language people quickly pick on them and mark them as incorrect.
Thanks for correcting me, I’m here to learn and grow.