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HSS Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
If Ever There Was One
Hi, just wondering if I could just replace "if ever there was one" with just "if you will." Are the names being called good enough to describe the referrents, or are the refferents barely good enough for the descriptions?
[1] Feeling surprisingly rested considering I'd spent the night bouncing up and down on a bus, I arrived the next morning at six in Kanazawa, a sprawling regional hub if ever there was one.
[2] Then came the U.S.-imposed 1941 embargo on exports of needed fuel and raw materials to Japan -- a declaration of economic war if ever there was one.
[3] A Hard-Luck Story, If Ever There Was One
Sunday, I ordered a sandwich chalked up on the blackboard as “Smoked Salmon BLT.” The sandwich was very good, but it had no bacon. I was shocked. You might say speechless, except that would be innacurate; I’m afraid I speechified quite a bit.
Hiro
Sendai, Japan
[1] Feeling surprisingly rested considering I'd spent the night bouncing up and down on a bus, I arrived the next morning at six in Kanazawa, a sprawling regional hub if ever there was one.
[2] Then came the U.S.-imposed 1941 embargo on exports of needed fuel and raw materials to Japan -- a declaration of economic war if ever there was one.
[3] A Hard-Luck Story, If Ever There Was One
Sunday, I ordered a sandwich chalked up on the blackboard as “Smoked Salmon BLT.” The sandwich was very good, but it had no bacon. I was shocked. You might say speechless, except that would be innacurate; I’m afraid I speechified quite a bit.
Hiro
Sendai, Japan
Top answer
Your suggested replacement is not appropriate. If ever there was one indicates that the referent is the most complete, perfect or extreme example; for instance, in #1 Kanazawa is a perfect example of a sprawling regional hub. If you will merely offers the reader an optional nomenclature: Saddam Hussein ordered mass murder-- genocide, if you will.
- Your suggested replacement is not appropriate.
- If ever there was one indicates that the referent is the most complete, perfect or extreme example; for instance, in #1 Kanazawa is a perfect example of a sprawling regional hub.
- If you will merely offers the reader an optional nomenclature: Saddam Hussein ordered mass murder-- genocide, if you will.
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5 Answers
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Your suggested replacement is not appropriate.
If ever there was one indicates that the referent is the most complete, perfect or extreme example; for instance, in #1 Kanazawa is a perfect example of a sprawling regional hub.
If you will merely offers the reader an optional nomenclature: Saddam Hussein ordered mass murder-- genocide, if you will.
If ever there was one indicates that the referent is the most complete, perfect or extreme example; for instance, in #1 Kanazawa is a perfect example of a sprawling regional hub.
If you will merely offers the reader an optional nomenclature: Saddam Hussein ordered mass murder-- genocide, if you will.
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Hi, MM. How come "if ever there was one" or "if there ever was one" leads to that meaning you mentioned, do you know?
Hiro
Hiro
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It's a pretty straight path, I think, Hiro:
If ever there was [a perfect example] of a sprawling regional hub, [that example] is Kanazawa.
Kanazawa, a sprawling regional hub if ever there was one. (one = perfect example)
If ever there was [a perfect example] of a sprawling regional hub, [that example] is Kanazawa.
Kanazawa, a sprawling regional hub if ever there was one. (one = perfect example)
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The word "ever" --- does this connote there is hardly any other in the region that could fit the description?
Hiro
Hiro
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