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Pructus Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Economic understandings
Hi,
Below is a quote from Franklin Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" Speech.
I got stuck at the underlined "understandings".
Why plural "understandings", not singular "understanding"? Is it because "understood by plural people, not by a single person"?
What is "economic understandings"? Is it "understandings that society is ruled by economic situation, understandings that society cannot get out of the hold of economic situation"?
** ** **
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world.
That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called “new order” of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.
Below is a quote from Franklin Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" Speech.
I got stuck at the underlined "understandings".
Why plural "understandings", not singular "understanding"? Is it because "understood by plural people, not by a single person"?
What is "economic understandings"? Is it "understandings that society is ruled by economic situation, understandings that society cannot get out of the hold of economic situation"?
** ** **
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.
The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.
The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.
The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.
The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world.
That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called “new order” of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.
Top answer
com. As you see from the definitions, the plural form is entirely reasonable. I would probably choose #7 for "economic understandings" = agreements regarding economic policies or relationships between countries.
- com.
- As you see from the definitions, the plural form is entirely reasonable.
- I would probably choose #7 for "economic understandings" = agreements regarding economic policies or relationships between countries.
- 5.
- a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations between people: To him, understanding and goodwill were the supreme virtues.
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2 Answers
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Hi Pructus;
This is one of the special definitions of "understanding." These definitions are from dictionary.com. As you see from the definitions, the plural form is entirely reasonable. I would probably choose #7 for "economic understandings" = agreements regarding economic policies or relationships between countries.
5. a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations
This is one of the special definitions of "understanding." These definitions are from dictionary.com. As you see from the definitions, the plural form is entirely reasonable. I would probably choose #7 for "economic understandings" = agreements regarding economic policies or relationships between countries.
5. a state of cooperative or mutually tolerant relations
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Thanks so much, AlpheccaStars!!
Your explanation sounds reaonable...
Your explanation sounds reaonable...
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