while dreaming

Question

Is it correct? They surprised them while they were dreaming. I want to say that they made a surpirse attack against them while those people were sleeping. Those people not necesseraly had a dream, therefore "sleeping" seems to be better, however, in my mother tongue, "dreaming" is used. To be precise, literally: They surprised them in their dream. But in English, it may sound as if they only dreamt that they attacked them, or not? And if “while they were dreaming” is right, is“they surprised them while dreaming” similarly correct? I don’t know if the supposed meaning should be preferred or if the second subject is omitted, “dreaming” must belong to the written subject. If it is so, it would mean that the attackers were sleep-walkers.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Use the verb 'sleep', not the verb 'dream'.

GPY · Answer

"They surprised them while they were dreaming" is correct English, but there is no reason to say "dreaming" if you just mean "sleeping". The sentence is technically ambiguous in that the second "they" could also refer to the attackers, but in practice there probably wouldn't be any confusion except in some very special context.

"They surprised them while sleeping/dreaming" isn't right for the meaning you want (as you say, it sounds as if the attackers were sleeping/dreaming).

Enoon · Answer

Men of Harlech stop your dreaming
Can't you see their spear points gleaming?

"Dreaming" in English sounds like they were lost in reverie, not like they were asleep. "The enemy surprised them in their sleep" gets the meaning across.

Blue Jay · Answer

enoonMen of Harlech stop your dreaming Can't you see their spear points gleaming?

Now I've got that tune stuck in my head.

while dreaming

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