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JungKim Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

but that

What is the meaning of "but that" in the following sentence?

I wouldn't have taken any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
  

Top answer

Here, 'but' = 'except'.

— Mister Micawber

  • Here, 'but' = 'except'.
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11 Answers
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I wouldn't have taken any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
Mister MicawberHere, 'but' = 'except'.
Thanks. One further question, though.
Is there any difference in meaning between the given sentence and the following?
I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
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The second one doesn't make sense to me: you didn't take notice but you did take notice?!
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(1) I wouldn't have taken any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(2) I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(3) I didn't take any notice except that I feared they might upset her.

So you don't think that (3) makes sense, do you??
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That is correct: I don't.
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(1) I wouldn't have taken any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(2) I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(3) I didn't take any notice except that I feared they might upset her.

So you don't think that (3) makes sense, do you??
Mister MicawberThat is correct: I don't.
Well, there must be something I don't
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JungKimI didn't tell him anything except that I needed the money,
This means that the only thing I told him was that I needed the money.

Your sntence has a different underlying meaning.
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(1) I wouldn't have taken any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(2) I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.
(3) I didn't take any notice except that I feared they might upset her.
(4) I didn't tell him anything except that I needed the money.
fivejedjonThis means that the only thing I told him was that I needed the money.You
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(2) I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.

Aha! I misread 'they' as 'that' or 'it' because noticing as a counter-action against other people upsetting another person did not enter my mind as a reasonable situation.
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Mister Micawber(2) I didn't take any notice but that I feared they might upset her.Aha! I misread 'they' as 'that' or 'it' because noticing as a counter-action against other people upsetting another person did not enter my mind as a reasonable situation.
Are you saying that (2) is grammatical?
If so, what's the difference between (1) and (2)?
(1) I
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