I should think you'd have realized

Question

When you going back to kindergarten, Otis?" some one had asked.
- "Me? Day Bernice gets her hair bobbed."
- "Then your education's over," said Marjorie quickly. "That's only a bluff of hers. I should think you'd have realized."

Source: Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Could anybody help me understand why the girl used "should think" instead of "should have thought" (what would mean that she critisize them if I understand it right)

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I should think (now) that you'd have realized (by now/before now).

TeddyFromRussia(what would mean that she critisize them if I understand it right)

I don't understand this second question.

Bernice never intends to get her hair bobbed, and Otis never intends to go back to kindergarten.

Marjorie knows that Otis knows that Bernice is only bluffing about getting her hair bobbed.

They're all just jabbing at each other.

TeddyFromRussia · Answer

Do you think it is correct to say "I should think  that you'd have realized"? I believe it is not.

Enoon · Answer

TeddyFromRussiaDo you think it is correct to say "I should think that you'd have realized"? I believe it is not.

That would indeed sound strange in the American English of today. Almost nobody talks like that here, but it is perfectly correct.

TeddyFromRussia · Answer

Does that mean that the girl critisize them (that is "should think"="should have thought" ) ?

Enoon · Answer

TeddyFromRussiaDoes that mean that the girl critisize them (that is "should think"="should have thought" ) ?

Yes. She means that any reasonable person has a right to expect that Otis's intelligence was great enough to figure that out, but it apparently was not that great.

Avangi · Answer

TeddyFromRussiaDoes that mean that the girl criticized them?

Yes.

TeddyFromRussia(that is "should think"="should have thought" ) ?

No. "I should think" refers to the present. "I should have thought" refers to the past. How can they be equal?

(I suppose "I should have thought" could be viewed as some sort of implied conditional.)

When does/did the hypothetical "thinking" occur?

TeddyFromRussia · Answer

AvangiNo. "I should think" refers to the present. "I should have thought" refers to the past. How can they be equal?

I've read on this forum that we use "I should think" to mean "that something is obvious, that there is a good reason to believe it or expect it". Also, I ve' found in a grammar book that we use a construction "I should have thought" (but not "I should think") to criticize somebody. The book is written in Russian, so I can't be sure about the information. Here are examples from that book:

I should have thought you could have carried them down the drive (Di.);
"You would have been pleased, I should have thought." - "Oh but I am" (Le.).

According to the grammar book the girl should have used "should have thought" to criticize Otis (it seems she tried to criticize Otis), but she used "I should think". So I got confused and ask the question here. Now I am confused again. Could you help me to understand?

AvangiWhen does/did the hypothetical "thinking" occur?

I am sorry, but I didn't get your question =(

Enoon · Answer

TeddyFromRussiaAccording to the grammar book the girl should have used "should have thought" to criticize Otis (it seems she tried to criticize Otis), but she used "I should think". So I got confused and ask the question here. Now I am confused again. Could you help me to understand?

The only difference is the tense of the verb. They are equally critical or not, as the case may be. If it just happened, it's "think". If both the thinking and the act happened in the past, it's "have thought".

TeddyFromRussia · Answer

enoonThe only difference is the tense of the verb. They are equally critical or not, as the case may be. If it just happened, it's "think". If both the thinking and the act happened in the past, it's "have thought"

Thank you for your answer, first of all.

1. Is this construction a sort of contracted version of "I should think you'd have realized [if you were intelligent enough]".
2. Could you give a context when it would be possible to say "I should have thought you'd have realized". I just can't imagine it.
3. You said people don't say such things now. How would Marjorie of today express "I should think you'd have realized"?

Enoon · Answer

TeddyFromRussia1. Is this construction a sort of contracted version of "I should think you'd have realized [if you were intelligent enough]".

Not exactly. It implies that you were remiss in some way, not necessarily lacking in intelligence.

TeddyFromRussia2. Could you give a context when it would be possible to say "I should have thought you'd have realized". I just can't imagine it.

We aren't too fussy about verb tenses sometimes. One verb often sort of drags the others into its orbit in a sentence. Sally plants tulip bulbs in the pond. When they don't come up in the spring, Ralph comments, "I should have thought you'd have realized that tulips weren't a water plant."

TeddyFromRussia3. You said people don't say such things now. How would Marjorie of today express "I should think you'd have realized"?

I really don't know whether anybody talks like that now, but I think they do in parts of England, maybe in all parts. I only know they don't talk like that where I come from, and I would be surprised to see it in writing here. If I wanted to say what Marjorie said, I guess it would go something like,"I would think you'd have realized."

I should think you'd have realized

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions