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Usenet Posted 16 years ago
Usage
Cannot but X, can't help but X, not X, but Y, etc.
I don't remember the rules for these very well. Can someone tell me which, if any, of these constructions is incorrect, and why?
1. We cannot but do this.
2. We cannot help but do this.
3. We cannot help doing this.
4. We do not do X, but Y.
I recall that there were some complicated rules for the first three, but I don't remember what they are, and now I'm wondering about (4) as well.
1. We cannot but do this.
2. We cannot help but do this.
3. We cannot help doing this.
4. We do not do X, but Y.
I recall that there were some complicated rules for the first three, but I don't remember what they are, and now I'm wondering about (4) as well.
Top answer
[nq:1]I don't remember the rules for these very well. Can someone tell me which, if any, of these constructions is ... [/nq] It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean the same thing: we have no choice save to do this thing.
- [nq:1]I don't remember the rules for these very well.
- Can someone tell me which, if any, of these constructions is ...
- [/nq] It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean the same thing: we have no choice save to do this thing.
- The expanded forms of the ellipses are "We can (do nothing else) but do this" and "We cannot (do anything else) but do this".
- The rest of the forms are routine.
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2 Answers
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[nq:1]I don't remember the rules for these very well. Can someone tell me which, if any, of these constructions is ... rules for the first three, but I don't remember what they are, and now I'm wondering about (4) as well.[/nq]
It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean the same thing: we have no choice save to do this thing. The expanded
It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean the same thing: we have no choice save to do this thing. The expanded
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[nq:2]I don't remember the rules for these very well. Can ... they are, and now I'm wondering about (4) as well.[/nq]
[nq:1]It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean ... else) but do this" and "We cannot (do anything else) but do this". The rest of the forms are routine.[/nq]
I agree with your interpretations, but I'm not sure "but" i
[nq:1]It is a curiosity of idiomatic English that "We can but do this" and "We cannot but do this" mean ... else) but do this" and "We cannot (do anything else) but do this". The rest of the forms are routine.[/nq]
I agree with your interpretations, but I'm not sure "but" i
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