Can I say this: "To spank my shoulder when needed" or "to spank on my shoulder when I'm down in life"? Is there a way instead not using spank? Is there any other way to express the same feeling?
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closed as not a real question by aedia λ, JSBձոգչ, kiamlaluno, jwpat7, Daniel δ Jan 10 '12 at 1:24
It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, see the FAQ.
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There is some confusion here between several idioms. First, never spank anyone on anything as spanking is a mild form of corporal punishment and I'm sure you don't mean that.
There isn't really a physical difference between a pat on the back or a pat on the shoulder, it's all about context, but in English we use two phrases to differentiate between the two intentions. |
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You would not say "Spank your shoulder". I think you are thinking of "Pat your back" or "Pat you on the back". "A word or gesture of praise or approval: received a pat on the back for doing a good job." |
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If the motion is light, I'd go for a "pat on the shoulder". For example, the kind of thing you'd give a friend to console them after their loss. If it's more percussive, I think I'd go for a "clap on the shoulder", such as you might give someone right before they head out onto the field for a game. As noted above, "spank" contains much different associations which I doubt are what you're aiming for. |
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