Hello, teachers!

Please help me with this sentence one more time, please!

- One day an older friend read me news reports [from, about] the Spanish-American War.

Why do you think the writer say "from" instead of "about"? As I know, it is not the case that the news reports were sent from the war place. I think probably his friend read him a part of a book (maybe a kind of encyclopedia or dictionary), and the news reports were part of the book.

In this context;
1. Is the term "news reports" natural?
2. Is "from" natural?
3. Can I say "about" instead of "from", of course, with a different meaning?

Thank you very much.
Best Regards.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hogel,

The use of "from" in your sentence would indicate that the news reports originated at the scene of a battle, right in the middle of the war. It is more likely that the words would name a place – not name the war -- where battles have been recently fought or are currently being fought.

So, if the eye-witness report is coming right from the scene, you could say:

"¢ One day an older friend read me news reports from San Juan Hill (the scene of an important battle in the Spanish-American War).

This would mean that the words are actually being written on the spot, at the scene of the battle.

It would be like saying, today:

"¢ Here's Cristiane Amanpour with a report from Baghdad.
_______

If the reports are on the subject of the war, however, then you would say:

"¢ One day an older friend read me news reports about the Spanish-American War.

About other wars, you might say:

"¢ I read news reports about World War I / World War II / the Gulf War.

These reports might or might not have been written at the scenes of battles.
_______

In answer to your questions:

1. "News reports" is OK. Does it seem redundant? You could also refer to "newspaper articles," "in-depth reports," and "news stories."

2. "From" is not unnatural, but it would probablY not be referring to the war itself. It would be referring to a place.

3. "About" seems the better choice for this particular sentence.

Rachel

It's possible to say "news reports FROM the Spanish-American War" meaning "from the time of (and about) the Spanish-American War."

Other similar cases, found on Google:

"” For example, if you have ever read a diary from the Civil War on microfilm, it just does not give the same sense of appreciation of those times as does holding ...
http://www.unc.edu/finance/ddd/paperless.htm

"” ...Read a poem from the Civil War. Would your character enjoy this poem? Why or why not?
http://www.mrwellen.com/Civilwarproject.htm

"” If you were to survey the lives of the prophets, you would think you were reading a casualty list from the Vietnam war.
http://www.kaleochurch.com/preaching/sermon.php?content=2002_12_15_God's_Holiness_Fairchild_text.html

Marilyn

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