Breakdown of Ihr überredet mich, diesen Ton lauter zu singen.
ihr
you (informal plural)
mich
me
singen
to sing
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
laut
loud, loudly
zu
to (infinitive marker)
der Ton
the note (musical)
überreden
to persuade
Questions & Answers about Ihr überredet mich, diesen Ton lauter zu singen.
Who is the implied subject of the infinitive clause here, and how do we know?
The implied subject of zu singen is I (or ich). This is because the verb überreden follows an object identity rule. The direct object of the main clause (mich) automatically becomes the implied subject of the infinitive clause. They are persuading you, so you are the one doing the singing.
Since über is often a separable prefix, why didn't the main clause split into Ihr redet mich über?
The verb überreden (to persuade) is inseparable. When über is used as an inseparable prefix, the spoken stress falls on the root verb rather than the prefix (über-RE-den). Because it is inseparable, it stays completely intact as überredet in a main clause.
Why use Ton for a musical note instead of Note?
In German, ein Ton refers to the actual sound or pitch you hear or produce. Eine Note typically refers to the written musical symbol on sheet music, or a grading mark in school. Since the sentence is about singing a sound out loud, Ton is the correct choice.
Is the -er on lauter a declension ending that agrees with Ton?
No, lauter does not modify the noun Ton here, so it takes no adjective declension endings. Instead, it acts as an adverb modifying the verb singen. The -er makes it a comparative adverb, simply meaning more loudly or louder.
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