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Dareka Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
At least
Which is the following sentence saying, Republicans will not pick up 30 or more seats and "at least" means "at minimum", or there is no chance Republicans will get less than 30 seats and "at least" means something else?
Thanks in advance.
Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it's getting close to - the concrete is drying it's not yet solidly locked in, but it's getting very difficult for this to change, where there's not a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats.
Thanks in advance.
Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it's getting close to - the concrete is drying it's not yet solidly locked in, but it's getting very difficult for this to change, where there's not a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats.
Top answer
com / says: "Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it’s getting close. " Note that the word "not" is omitted, which seems to make more sense. Has your version become corrupted, I wonder?
- com / says: "Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it’s getting close.
- " Note that the word "not" is omitted, which seems to make more sense.
- Has your version become corrupted, I wonder?
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10 Answers
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The quote I found at http://cliftonchadwick.wordpress.com/ says:
"Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it’s getting close. … The concrete is drying — it’s not yet solidly locked in, but it’s ge
"Democrats will have some good plays by individual campaigns, but it’s getting close. … The concrete is drying — it’s not yet solidly locked in, but it’s ge
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I don't know that either makes more sense, but the meaning is certainly reversed.
With the "not" it seems almost certain to the author of this convoluted sentence that the Republicans will take at least 30 additional seats in the fall elections.
Without the "not" the author thinks this prospect is all but impossible.
The concrete metaphor is used to mean that's "set" --
With the "not" it seems almost certain to the author of this convoluted sentence that the Republicans will take at least 30 additional seats in the fall elections.
Without the "not" the author thinks this prospect is all but impossible.
The concrete metaphor is used to mean that's "set" --
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Grammar GeekWith the "not" it seems almost certain to the author of this convoluted sentence that the Republicans will take at least 30 additional seats in the fall elections.Are you sure that's what you meant? I must admit that I am pretty confused.
Without the "not" the author thinks this prospect is all but impossible.
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Yes.
With the not: it's hard to imagine a picture that does NOT include 30 new Republican seats.
Withou the not: it's hard to imagine a picture that DOES include 30 new Republican seats.
Assuming the first, the author has apparently done an analysis of the all of the seats and on balance, 30 more Republicans will go to Washington than are there now.
Assuming the sec
With the not: it's hard to imagine a picture that does NOT include 30 new Republican seats.
Withou the not: it's hard to imagine a picture that DOES include 30 new Republican seats.
Assuming the first, the author has apparently done an analysis of the all of the seats and on balance, 30 more Republicans will go to Washington than are there now.
Assuming the sec
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Oh, OK, I see what you mean now. I read it as meaning "given that there's (not) a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats, it's getting very difficult for this to change", influenced also by the lack of a comma before "where" in the version I quoted. In this interpretation, the sentence seems to make more sense without "not". Nine out of ten versions that I looked at on the web have n
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Mr Wordy, Grammar Geek, thank you for answering my question.
This is a part of a transcript from http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=127845693 and the original NPR sound clip sounds to my ears it includes the "not" though my ears are no better than c
This is a part of a transcript from http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=127845693 and the original NPR sound clip sounds to my ears it includes the "not" though my ears are no better than c
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Either way, the picture is there, and it's not changing.
Without knowing whether the "not" is there, what's not clear is what the picture shows.
It's hard to imagine their NOT getting the seats. (They will get the seats.)
It's hard to imagine their getting the seats. (The will NOT get the seats.)
Without knowing whether the "not" is there, what's not clear is what the picture shows.
It's hard to imagine their NOT getting the seats. (They will get the seats.)
It's hard to imagine their getting the seats. (The will NOT get the seats.)
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I think that there are two ways of reading the sentence, such that it makes sense (just about!), and means about the same, with or without "not".
First, there's my interpretation:
"but it's getting very difficult for this to change where there's a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats" = "given that there's a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats, it
First, there's my interpretation:
"but it's getting very difficult for this to change where there's a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats" = "given that there's a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats, it
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>Is the original sound clip still available do you know? I couldn't see it.
Direct link to the sound clip is http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2010/06/20100
Direct link to the sound clip is http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2010/06/20100
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Well, he definitely says "not", so it must mean something like "it's getting very difficult for this to change, and it's getting very difficult not to project a picture of Republicans picking up at least 30 seats".
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