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Philip Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Parallel structure
We're talking about getting rid of things that we don't use, especially as when downsizing from a house to a condo. Is the following parallel in structure, or are there "too many words"?
And the longer it has been since we last used it before getting rid of it, the sooner it is that we want it afterward.
Thanks especially to native speakers and strict grammarians.
And the longer it has been since we last used it before getting rid of it, the sooner it is that we want it afterward.
Thanks especially to native speakers and strict grammarians.
Top answer
Hi, I'm not a native speaker, but as a learner I found it difficult to understand. Yeah, too many words I guess. It took me a bit (but I'm probably retarded) to understand it's a kind of Murphy's law, right?
- Hi, I'm not a native speaker, but as a learner I found it difficult to understand.
- Yeah, too many words I guess.
- It took me a bit (but I'm probably retarded) to understand it's a kind of Murphy's law, right?
- The longer you haven't used it, the sooner you'll need it if you decide to get rid of it.
- Is that what you mean?
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4 Answers
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Hi,
I'm not a native speaker, but as a learner I found it difficult to understand. Yeah, too many words I guess. It took me a bit (but I'm probably retarded) to understand it's a kind of Murphy's law, right?
The longer you haven't used it, the sooner you'll need it if you decide to get rid of it.
Is that what you mean? But I'm not sure my example is grammatical.
I'm not a native speaker, but as a learner I found it difficult to understand. Yeah, too many words I guess. It took me a bit (but I'm probably retarded) to understand it's a kind of Murphy's law, right?
The longer you haven't used it, the sooner you'll need it if you decide to get rid of it.
Is that what you mean? But I'm not sure my example is grammatical.
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Right, Kooyeen. It's a Murphy's law type of situation, and your "translation" is perfect. I may use it in place of the original.
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I don't see anything wrong with the grammar. As to the wordiness, it's a matter of style. I think with some thought it could be boiled down to a nice little aphorism, if that's what's wanted. You might modify to your liking something like this, for example:
Discard something long unused and you'll soon need it -- the longer unused, the sooner needed.
CJ
Discard something long unused and you'll soon need it -- the longer unused, the sooner needed.
CJ
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