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NL888 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Does "be it never so tiny" mean "even though it (the portion) is never so small"?

Context:

I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious in ourselves. An individual who should survive his physical death is also beyond my comprehension, nor do I wish it otherwise; such notions are for the fears or absurd egoism of feeble souls. Enough for me the mystery of the eternity of life, and the inkling of the marvellous structure of reality, together with the single-hearted endeavour to comprehend a portion, be it never so tiny, of the reason that manifests itself in nature.
The 1940 photograph of Einstein addressing the American Scientific Congress comes from Louie de Broglie et al.
  

Top answer

NL888 be it never so tiny The correct expression is "be it ever so". I have never heard it said with never . It means, "no matter how ...

  • NL888 be it never so tiny The correct expression is "be it ever so".
  • I have never heard it said with never .
  • It means, "no matter how ...
  • it may be".
  • In this case, ...
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1 Answers
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NL888be it never so tiny
The correct expression is "be it ever so". I have never heard it said with never.

It means, "no matter how ... it may be". In this case,

... to comprehend a portion, no matter how tiny it may be, of the reason ...

CJ

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