Help me understand this sentence

Question

"There are very few things on this planet, which if safe, I would not try."

What does this sentence mean? Does it mean that the person would try something if it's safe or unsafe? I think it's the latter, but the original writer insists that the sentence means the former. Why does it mean that the person would try almost anything, but only things that are safe?

The sentence says, "which if safe, I would not try". If safe, I would not try -- Doesn't this mean that she wouldn't try anything which is safe?

Thanks.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Welcome to English Forums, user2010.

He would try almost anything that is safe. Unsafe things he would not try.

Regards · Answer

Hi,

Even though there are many safe things on this planet, I would not try all of them.

Regards

User2010 · Answer

I don't understand. Can you guys explain why it means that the person would try anything which is safe? The sentence says "there are very few things on this planet, which IF say, I would NOT try." -- Doesn't this clearly mean that IF safe, she would NOT try? Thanks.

Mister Micawber · Answer

There are very few things on this planet I would not try if [they were] safe. = There are very many things I would try if they were safe.

Regards · Answer

Hi,

O.K. Let's make it clearer as you wish.

The Original Sentence

There are few things on this planet which if safe, I would not try.

The meaning

There are few things on this planet that even though I know they are safe, I would not consider

giving them a try. Let's say you know that flying abroad is safe, but you are very frightened to fly.

Everybody knows that flying is safe nowadays, and even you yourself agree with that somehow.

However, whenever you think about flying, you become fearful. Thus, flying is an activity which

even though you know it might be safe, you wouldn't consider giving it a try.

Yet, you would try almost everything except for flying abroad and other stuff.

Regards

User2010 · Answer

Hmm, that helps, thanks!

One thing, though... Is it an assumption to say that there are very many things I would try if they were safe? How does the original sentence imply the very many other things? The very many other things could be dangerous.

User2010 · Answer

Oh yeah, I get that part now. I just don't see how the original sentence also means that there are many things the person would try?

Sorry, I've OCD which makes me ruminate on things till I understand it. Thanks though.

Regards · Answer

Hi,

It's more than fine.

Let's take a look at the sentence again.

The Original Sentence

There are few things on this planet which if safe, I would not try.

The meaning

The key for understanding this sentence is the underlined part in the original sentence.

There are few things on this planet that seem to be safe, and yet I would not try them.

I would usually try things which are safe. I would try swimming, playing the piano, going to malls, etc.

However, there are things such as: flying abroad, roller-skating, playing soccer, and so on, that

even though they are known to be safe or seem to be safe, I would not consider giving them a try.

Maybe I don't like playing soccer or I'm frightened to play soccer. The reason doesn't matter.

What I know is that playing soccer is a safe activity, and yet I would not play soccer at all.

If I say there are few things on this planet which if safe I would not try, it means that there are many

other safe things that I would give them a try.

Regards

User2010 · Answer

Yeah, now I understand the original sentence, but I don't see how the it means that there are many other safe things that I would try. Just because I wouldn't try a few things which are safe doesn't mean that I would try the remaining things (which amount to "many other things") because they because they are safe. It could mean that the many other things are not safe, I would try them for other unknown reasons. Makes sense?

User2010 · Answer

Oh! lol okay, I get the whole thing now. Thank you. I'm kind of dyslexic too. Thanks.

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