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Rex Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

If ifs and ands were ....

2br
00Avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille.02br
00The above French sentence is translated into English as follows:02br
02br
01font00 I00f ifs and ands were pots and pans there'd be no need for tinkers00 .02font02br
00 [What does the above mean?]0-
  

Top answer

0 "Ifs and ands" are very common; If they were changed into pots and pans, there would be so many that there would not be a need for tinkers [tinkers mended pots and pans]0-

— Feebs11

  • 0 "Ifs and ands" are very common; If they were changed into pots and pans, there would be so many that there would not be a need for tinkers [tinkers mended pots and pans]0-
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3 Answers
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0 "Ifs and ands" are very common; If they were changed into pots and pans, there would be so many that there would not be a need for tinkers [tinkers mended pots and pans]0-
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0I think it could be that the "ifs" are "if-clauses" – i.e., in this context, wishful but improbable hypotheses and alternatives. For instance, if someone says:02br
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001. If only I'd done X, Y wouldn't have happened.02br
02br
00or:02br
02br
002. If X were the case, Y would be the case.02br
02br
00you reply:02b
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Thanks Mr Pedantic
It was not so easy to understand; however, you knew it.
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