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Nina_Nia Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

A sentence

Hello,

What does 'I would take a book not just a letter' mean? Maybe it should be 'it'?
"I can't tell you about all our journey; I would take a book not just a letter, but I should like to tell you of a trip we made yesterday."
What is the difference between; I would like to tell you and I should like to tell you?

Thanks
  

Top answer

" It means that there is more to be said than will fit in a short message. " There is no difference in meaning between "I would like to tell you" and "I should like to tell you". The SHOULD variant is an idiom used in older British writing, and, in my experience, by posh older British intellectual types.

— KrisBlueNZ

  • " It means that there is more to be said than will fit in a short message.
  • " There is no difference in meaning between "I would like to tell you" and "I should like to tell you".
  • The SHOULD variant is an idiom used in older British writing, and, in my experience, by posh older British intellectual types.
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2 Answers
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Yes, it should be "IT would take a book, not just a letter." It means that there is more to be said than will fit in a short message. Another example: "Write him a letter to tell him how stupid he is." "It would take a book ..."

There is no difference in meaning between "I would like to tell you" and "I should like to tell you". The SHOULD variant is an idiom used in older British writing
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I always like your answers very much. Thanks a lot. Emotion: smile
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