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64801965 Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
no/not +prep.
I could do no otherwaise than laugh.
I could not but laugh.
what's the relationship between the word above?
ie what word does than laugh modify? and what word does but laugh modify/ be reference to?
I could not but laugh.
what's the relationship between the word above?
ie what word does than laugh modify? and what word does but laugh modify/ be reference to?
Top answer
The first one is not right. The nearest valid sentence might be "I could not do otherwise than laugh". "than laugh" describes the available option, as contrasted with the unavailability of anything else.
- The first one is not right.
- The nearest valid sentence might be "I could not do otherwise than laugh".
- "than laugh" describes the available option, as contrasted with the unavailability of anything else.
- I wouldn't say that it "modifies" any word.
- I don't think "than" is a preposition either, which your subject line seems to imply "I could not but laugh" means "I could not do anything except laugh".
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1 Answers
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The first one is not right. The nearest valid sentence might be "I could not do otherwise than laugh". "than laugh" describes the available option, as contrasted with the unavailability of anything else. I wouldn't say that it "modifies" any word. I don't think "than" is a preposition either, which your subject line seems to imply
"I could not but laugh" means "I could not do anything exc
"I could not but laugh" means "I could not do anything exc
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