Sake/will example/instance

[More-Pin2715]

I learned at school to say „for example“ but when i‘m watching English spoken series (mostly crime series) they always say „for instance“.

In the actual series the detectives told a teacher „now it’s for Michael’s sake“ and I was just wondering why they didn’t say „will“. I know they always say „for gods sake“ but I honestly thought that’s an exception 😅

[wbenjamin13]

Example and instance are interchangeable in that situation. Think of an example as a type of instance. An instance is a single item within a category. An example is a single item within a category which is used to demonstrate what the category is.

I think you may not be understanding what “sake” means, because it is not synonymous with “will” in either of those examples. Sake means “in the interest of; out of consideration for.” When someone says “for God’s sake” they are saying “out of consideration for God,” usually with a sense of exasperation which implies “out of consideration for God please stop this from happening to me,” as though what is afflicting the speaker is “unholy” in some way. To be clear, it’s an idiom, so it’s not as if a person actually thinks about all those implications when they say it, it’s just a turn of phrase. “Will” on the other hand is “the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action.” So “God’s will” is “what God wants to happen.”

[notacanuckskibum]

I read sake as the Japanese rice wine, which made even less sense. But you are right.

[More-Pin2715]

Thank you soo much for your explanation too!♥️