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Pamela81 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Men´s ability

Hi,
using a bit ironic tone, could I say that "men´s ability is to ignore when the dustbin is already too full" ?

Is this understandable?

The meaning is that usually men do not care if the dustbin is already too full to throw into it things.

Thanks

PAMELA
  

Top answer

It's understandable. Here are some variants you can also consider. Men have a special ability to ignore the dustbin when it's already too full.

— CalifJim

  • It's understandable.
  • Here are some variants you can also consider.
  • Men have a special ability to ignore the dustbin when it's already too full.
  • Men are good at ignoring the dustbin when it's already too full.
  • What men are good at is ignoring a full dustbin.
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13 Answers
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It's understandable. Here are some variants you can also consider.

Men have a special ability to ignore the dustbin when it's already too full.
Men are good at ignoring the dustbin when it's already too full.
What men are good at is ignoring a full dustbin.
Men are good at ignoring a full dustbin.

CJ
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What men are good at is ignoring a full dustbin..CJ
Hi CJ,
thank you.

The only one variant I cannot completely get is the one below.
Doesn´t it miss an exclamation mark there? otherwise I don´t understand the "what"

?

Thanks
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[What men are good at ignoring] would probably start with Cio che gli uomini in Italian, but I'm not sure.

CJ
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CalifJim[What men are good at ignoring] would probably start with Cio che gli uomini in Italian, but I'm not sure.CJ
hmmm "Cio" in this case wouldn´t have any sense. No, CJ ...but I appreciate your efforts with Italian language
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OK. Then let's try in English.

[What men are good at ignoring] is [a full dustbin]
=
[That which men are good at ignoring] is [a full dustbin]
=
[That thing which men are good at ignoring] is [a full dustbin]

CJ
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CalifJimWhat men are good at ignoring] CJ
This "what" sounds to me as in addition and useless but maybe because I would´t translate it in Italian "Cosa gli uomini sono bravi a ignorare....." (cosa: what).This makes no sense.
I understand that in English is maybe normal to say this "what" but it sounds to me odd.
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Pamela81[That which men are good at ignoring] is [a full dustbin]

This sounds odd to me, I wouldn´t use "that" . I couldn´t start a sentence in Italian with "che" (that).
No, but you could start with quello. Remember that "that" also translates to "quello".

How about this?
what = that which = quello che = cosa che
what
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CJ,

I think you Italian language better than me Emotion: smile

All is very clear and you are right (quello is good in those case
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Pamela81 CalifJim[What men are good at ignoring] would probably start with Cio che gli uomini in Italian, but I'm not sure.
Hi CJ,

please accept my apologies... I´ve read the whole sentence and and it perfectly works with "cio´"

"Cio´che gli uomini ...." is perfectly working!!!!!!!

Sorry!!! As said, you know better italian than me.
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Pamela81I´ve read the whole sentence and and it perfectly works with "cio´"
Whew! I'm glad to hear it! I was about to run to my Italian grammar books to try to relearn the uses of cio'. Your post on this subject saves me the trouble!
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