in what ways

English translation: give (me) examples of ways/List all the ways etc.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:in what ways
Selected answer:give (me) examples of ways/List all the ways etc.
Entered by: Yvonne Gallagher

17:45 Dec 11, 2019
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / questionnaire about attachment experiences
English term or phrase: in what ways
Dear colleagues,
“in what ways” is used in a few questions on parents’ attachment experiences, listed below. The questionnaire is included in a chapter about making sure that children are and feel safe and protected; protection has many facets: physical and emotional, for instance.
I was wondering whether “in what ways” always means “how”. My doubt refers in particular to the second part of each question: “In what ways did you not feel safe?” (question 1) and “In what ways did your parents fail?” (question 2).
Is it possible that “in what ways” here means: “for which aspects (of protection) did they fail?” or, even more specifically,“in which cases did they fail?" or “in which cases did you not feel safe”?

Thank you so much for your help and patience!

*********************

1. In what ways did your parents or other caregivers help you feel safe? *** In what ways *** did you not feel safe? Think about your physical, emotional, and relational experiences

2. Did you feel protected by your parents? In what ways did they do a good job of protecting you? *** In what ways *** did they fail?
haribert
Local time: 19:24
give me examples of ways
Explanation:
in which they...

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Note added at 13 mins (2019-12-11 17:58:50 GMT)
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or even more simply HOW (did they fail...)?

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Note added at 13 mins (2019-12-11 17:59:16 GMT)
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describe the ways...

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Note added at 31 mins (2019-12-11 18:17:20 GMT)
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what did they do or did not do to.... ?

why is it that you felt unsafe? What did they fail to do to make you feel safe? What (else) could they have done to make you feel safe?

In what way did they fail...?
and etc.


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Note added at 55 mins (2019-12-11 18:40:47 GMT)
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for Mark

LIST ALL THE WAYS THAT...i



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Note added at 5 days (2019-12-16 21:50:39 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped.
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 18:24
Grading comment
Dear Yvonne, thank you so much for your useful examples!
Many thanks also to all other participants!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5give me examples of ways
Yvonne Gallagher
5as you said it means how. but they always are not interchangeable.
esmaeel balaghi
5list the ways
Gupse


  

Answers


52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
as you said it means how. but they always are not interchangeable.


Explanation:
for example: how are you doing?
In what ways are you doing?

esmaeel balaghi
Iran
Local time: 21:54
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: this is really a disagree. "In what ways are you doing?" is not standard English and does not match context here anyway
17 hrs
  -> yes. I just wanted to say that how and in what ways are the same but not always interchangeable, how are you doing is a correct form but in what ways are you doing in not correct.

neutral  B D Finch: I'll follow Yvonne's example by not posting this as a disagree, though it really is one. The expression "How are you doing?" is irrelevant here, because it is a particular collocation that doesn't usually indicate any real interest in a meaningful answer.
1 day 18 hrs
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
list the ways


Explanation:
'In what ways' never means only one 'how'. The ways are many, and the presence of the plural expects a multiple answer at once.
Your understanding of the phrase as 'many facets' is correct.

Example sentence(s):
  • In what ways would you suggest we improve our services?
  • In what ways do you see this project advancing?
Gupse
Türkiye
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ArabicArabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: I already said this, more precisely, as "list ALL the ways"//but, as this is being said to children "give me examples" is far more likely or "Tell me about..." etc. As I said, lots of ways of saying this. Asker just needed confirmation of meaning
4 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
give me examples of ways


Explanation:
in which they...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2019-12-11 17:58:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or even more simply HOW (did they fail...)?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2019-12-11 17:59:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

describe the ways...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2019-12-11 18:17:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

what did they do or did not do to.... ?

why is it that you felt unsafe? What did they fail to do to make you feel safe? What (else) could they have done to make you feel safe?

In what way did they fail...?
and etc.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 55 mins (2019-12-11 18:40:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

for Mark

LIST ALL THE WAYS THAT...i



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 days (2019-12-16 21:50:39 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped.

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 18:24
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 651
Grading comment
Dear Yvonne, thank you so much for your useful examples!
Many thanks also to all other participants!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your valuable hints! And many thanks to Tony M., as well!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: "What were the things / aspects in which they failed... etc."
7 mins
  -> Thanks:-) and yes, lots of ways of saying this.

neutral  Mark Robertson: 1. Isn't it more than a request for examples? Surely the request is exhaustive. 2. KudoZ rule 3.3?
29 mins
  -> I never said it was non-exhaustive and I've given some only SOME of the ways this can be rephrased...Don't just read the headline//3.3 Huh? Are you misunderstanding that?

agree  AllegroTrans
31 mins
  -> Many thanks:-)

agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
55 mins
  -> Many thanks:-)

agree  David Hollywood
8 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)

agree  B D Finch
1 day 19 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-)
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