Non-obligational sense/use of “should” for discussing future plans












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In discussion of translating between English and another language I saw some people insisting English "should" must be translated as though it has the obligation sense even in contexts like these:




  • I don't know what I should do next weekend.

  • What should we have for dinner tonight?


But to me, a native English speaker, the should in these examples does not carry any different meaning than if we'd used will or shall or am/are going to.



Looking in some dictionaries though, I'm having trouble seeing which sense of should it would be.



Is this a correct usage, how should we define it, where is it covered in English dictionaries?










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    0















    In discussion of translating between English and another language I saw some people insisting English "should" must be translated as though it has the obligation sense even in contexts like these:




    • I don't know what I should do next weekend.

    • What should we have for dinner tonight?


    But to me, a native English speaker, the should in these examples does not carry any different meaning than if we'd used will or shall or am/are going to.



    Looking in some dictionaries though, I'm having trouble seeing which sense of should it would be.



    Is this a correct usage, how should we define it, where is it covered in English dictionaries?










    share|improve this question

























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      0








      In discussion of translating between English and another language I saw some people insisting English "should" must be translated as though it has the obligation sense even in contexts like these:




      • I don't know what I should do next weekend.

      • What should we have for dinner tonight?


      But to me, a native English speaker, the should in these examples does not carry any different meaning than if we'd used will or shall or am/are going to.



      Looking in some dictionaries though, I'm having trouble seeing which sense of should it would be.



      Is this a correct usage, how should we define it, where is it covered in English dictionaries?










      share|improve this question














      In discussion of translating between English and another language I saw some people insisting English "should" must be translated as though it has the obligation sense even in contexts like these:




      • I don't know what I should do next weekend.

      • What should we have for dinner tonight?


      But to me, a native English speaker, the should in these examples does not carry any different meaning than if we'd used will or shall or am/are going to.



      Looking in some dictionaries though, I'm having trouble seeing which sense of should it would be.



      Is this a correct usage, how should we define it, where is it covered in English dictionaries?







      modal-verbs should






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      asked 20 mins ago









      hippietrailhippietrail

      4,837104373




      4,837104373






















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