0
Liveinsea Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
At least John won’t have to regret that he did a Ph.D.?
I am reading a book on pragmatics, in which I came across the following sentence:
At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D.
It is quite understandable to me if it is uttered in the situation in which John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally got his job. I am wondering whether it is possible for the sentence to be uttered in the situation in which John failed in the examination to be a candidate for doctoral degree, and if the answer is yes, what does the sentence mean in this situation? And what is the exact situation?
Thank you very much!
At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D.
It is quite understandable to me if it is uttered in the situation in which John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally got his job. I am wondering whether it is possible for the sentence to be uttered in the situation in which John failed in the examination to be a candidate for doctoral degree, and if the answer is yes, what does the sentence mean in this situation? And what is the exact situation?
Thank you very much!
Top answer
I guess if you never get your PhD, you can't regret that you did so. Perhaps the speaker is thinking of people who regret the years of study and deprivation while living as a student to obtain their PhD, only to find out that they are no better off than the people who didn't suffer as they did. In that case, perhaps they regret their time in getting their PhD.
- I guess if you never get your PhD, you can't regret that you did so.
- Perhaps the speaker is thinking of people who regret the years of study and deprivation while living as a student to obtain their PhD, only to find out that they are no better off than the people who didn't suffer as they did.
- In that case, perhaps they regret their time in getting their PhD.
- If John failed his exams, he'll never know that sense of regret.
- )
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
15 Answers
0
I guess if you never get your PhD, you can't regret that you did so.
Perhaps the speaker is thinking of people who regret the years of study and deprivation while living as a student to obtain their PhD, only to find out that they are no better off than the people who didn't suffer as they did. In that case, perhaps they regret their time in getting their PhD.
If John failed hi
Perhaps the speaker is thinking of people who regret the years of study and deprivation while living as a student to obtain their PhD, only to find out that they are no better off than the people who didn't suffer as they did. In that case, perhaps they regret their time in getting their PhD.
If John failed hi
00
0
Thank you very much! All of you!
Is it possible to say (in the situation in which John failed in the exam to be a candidate for doctoral degree) "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D."? and thus we can also say "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D."(here "did"="tried")?
Is it possible to say (in the situation in which John failed in the exam to be a candidate for doctoral degree) "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D."? and thus we can also say "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D."(here "did"="tried")?
00
Actually "tried" is not at all natural to me, and "did" is barely so.
He "got" a PhD or "obtained" a PhD.
If he tried for one and failed, he DID try, so that sentence doesn't make logical sense.
He "got" a PhD or "obtained" a PhD.
If he tried for one and failed, he DID try, so that sentence doesn't make logical sense.
00
Hi,
At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D.
This seems rather ambiguous to me, although normally the context would make it clear.
Clive
At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D.
This seems rather ambiguous to me, although normally the context would make it clear.
Clive
00
Thank you very much!
So you think "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D" could mean "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D"?
So you think "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D" could mean "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D"?
00
Hi,
So you think "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D" could mean "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D"?
'Did' here suggests to me 'completed' rather than 'tried'.
As I said, it's ambiguous. I see two main possibilities here.
1. He actually completed it. And he won't have to regret it.
2. He didn't actua
So you think "At least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph.D" could mean "At least John won't have to regret that he tried a Ph.D"?
'Did' here suggests to me 'completed' rather than 'tried'.
As I said, it's ambiguous. I see two main possibilities here.
1. He actually completed it. And he won't have to regret it.
2. He didn't actua
00
Thank you very much!
Do the following situations (or sentences) make logical sense?
1. John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally found his favorite job. Although John had paid quite a lot (in terms of time, energy and money) for the degree, at least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph. D., considering the help of the degree in finding the job and the high salary
Do the following situations (or sentences) make logical sense?
1. John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally found his favorite job. Although John had paid quite a lot (in terms of time, energy and money) for the degree, at least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph. D., considering the help of the degree in finding the job and the high salary
00
Hi,
Do the following situations (or sentences) make logical sense?
1. John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally found his favorite job. Although John had paid quite a lot (in terms of time, energy and money) for the degree, at least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph. D., considering the help of the degree in finding the job and the high salary of the job
Do the following situations (or sentences) make logical sense?
1. John has obtained his doctoral degree, and has finally found his favorite job. Although John had paid quite a lot (in terms of time, energy and money) for the degree, at least John won't have to regret that he did a Ph. D., considering the help of the degree in finding the job and the high salary of the job
00
Isn't it possible to use 'had done a Ph.D.' intead of 'did a Ph.D.' to make it perfectly clear?
(Is it also true that if you have *** with someone who has a Ph.D. degree, you are doing a Ph.D.?
(Is it also true that if you have *** with someone who has a Ph.D. degree, you are doing a Ph.D.?
0
Related Questions