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Pructus Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

I may as well find in my heart for to forbear him at this time,

Truly, said King Arthur, that knight with the many colors is a good knight. Wherefore the king called unto him Sir Launcelot, and prayed him to encounter with that knight. Sir, said Launcelot, I may as well find in my heart for to forbear him at this time, for he hath had travail enough this day, and when a good knight doth so well upon some day, it is no good knight's part to let him of his worship, and, namely, when he seeth a knight hath done so great labour; for peradventure, said Sir Launcelot, his quarrel is here this day, and peradventure he is best beloved with this lady of all that be here, for I see well he paineth himself and enforceth him to do great deeds, and therefore, said Sir Launcelot, as for me, this day he shall have the honour; though it lay in my power to put him from it, I would not.

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Hi,

Another excerpt from Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee.

By the way, is this book readable to average native speakers? Or is it readable even to highschool students?

The underlined sentence is difficult to understand both meaning and structure of sentence. “for to forbear”…. “for to + Verb”. I certainly need a guidance from a native speaker.
  

Top answer

The excerpt means "I won't fight with him right now". I can't speak as to average native speakers but I don't find it particularly tough reading. It's definitely written in Ye Olde Englishe but it's just another affectation that you've got to get used to.

  • The excerpt means "I won't fight with him right now".
  • I can't speak as to average native speakers but I don't find it particularly tough reading.
  • It's definitely written in Ye Olde Englishe but it's just another affectation that you've got to get used to.
  • I wouldn't be particularly surprised to see it assigned in 11th or 12th grade.
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2 Answers
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The excerpt means "I won't fight with him right now".

I can't speak as to average native speakers but I don't find it particularly tough reading. It's definitely written in Ye Olde Englishe but it's just another affectation that you've got to get used to. I wouldn't be particularly surprised to see it assigned in 11th or 12th grade.
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Thank you so much, CSynder!!

I may as well find in my heart for to forbear him at this time

Is the sentence structure like this: I may as well find (something) in my heart in order to forbear him at this time?

"for to" being the same meaning with "in order to"?

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