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Mitsuo23 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Please break down this "now" beautifully.
Hi,
The excerpt below is from a book by David Sedaris. Could anyone explain this "now" nicely? I mean, I have no problem with this original text written in English, but when I try to translate it into Japanese, I feel like, what the hell is this now doing here? Help me to have an better understanding of it, please.
(David here is having a lisp issue, and Miss Samson is a speech therapist.)
Over the coming years I would find a crack in each of the therapists sent to train what Miss Samson now defined as my laze tongue. "That's it's problem," she said. "It's just plain lazy."
Thank you,
m
The excerpt below is from a book by David Sedaris. Could anyone explain this "now" nicely? I mean, I have no problem with this original text written in English, but when I try to translate it into Japanese, I feel like, what the hell is this now doing here? Help me to have an better understanding of it, please.
(David here is having a lisp issue, and Miss Samson is a speech therapist.)
Over the coming years I would find a crack in each of the therapists sent to train what Miss Samson now defined as my laze tongue. "That's it's problem," she said. "It's just plain lazy."
Thank you,
m
Top answer
David and Miss Samson apparently did not get along. They apparently worked together for quite a while, with Samson diagnosing his speech impediment in various ways over time. The most recent diagnosis - the one she has now given him - is that he's just plain lazy with his tongue.
- David and Miss Samson apparently did not get along.
- They apparently worked together for quite a while, with Samson diagnosing his speech impediment in various ways over time.
- The most recent diagnosis - the one she has now given him - is that he's just plain lazy with his tongue.
- This was apparently the last diagnosis he was given by Samson, and he would make fun of the therapists later sent to train him and his "lazy" tongue.
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28 Answers
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David and Miss Samson apparently did not get along. They apparently worked together for quite a while, with Samson diagnosing his speech impediment in various ways over time. The most recent diagnosis - the one she has now given him - is that he's just plain lazy with his tongue. This was apparently the last diagnosis he was given by Samson, and he would make fun of the therapists later sent to
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Again, thank you for the reply.
Would you tell me what kind of would these are?
Like, "will-in-the-past" or more like "used to" or, both of them?
Over the coming years I would find a crack in each of the therapists sent to train what Miss Samson nowdefined as my laze tongue. "That's it's problem," she said. "It's just plain lazy."
Would you tell me what kind of would these are?
Like, "will-in-the-past" or more like "used to" or, both of them?
Over the coming years I would find a crack in each of the therapists sent to train what Miss Samson nowdefined as my laze tongue. "That's it's problem," she said. "It's just plain lazy."
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mitsuwao23Over the coming years I would find a crack in each of the therapists sent to train what Miss Samson now defined as my laze tongue. "That's it's problem," she said. "It's just plain lazy."now = at this point in the story. It's there to contrast with 'the coming years'. Miss Samson's remarks predate his finding cracks in each of the therapists.
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Thank you for the reply, CJ.
To me, a Japanese, "now" in a past sentence sounds a bit funny. I suppose that "at the time" instead of "now" makes a slight different in the meaning, right?
I mean, the expression of "what Miss Samson now define" make me feel, the storyteller is a bit closer to the characters, than "what Miss Samson at the time define" does. Am I righ
To me, a Japanese, "now" in a past sentence sounds a bit funny. I suppose that "at the time" instead of "now" makes a slight different in the meaning, right?
I mean, the expression of "what Miss Samson now define" make me feel, the storyteller is a bit closer to the characters, than "what Miss Samson at the time define" does. Am I righ
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mitsuwao23would you please tell about the underlined "would"s?I thought I did.
Note the many definitions of "now":
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/now
CJ
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It's because I keep adding more things to my posts, and sometimes you've replied before I've finished modifying my answers. 
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Becasue I'm desperate. 
For me, expressions like "This was" or "now the trouble began" are hard to understand and I have b
For me, expressions like "This was" or "now the trouble began" are hard to understand and I have b
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You're doing fine. You just need to smooth out a few rough edges and you'll be good to go! 
CJ
CJ
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The word "now" is often used as a kind of intensifier, with little actual meaning, that is, it does not necessarily mean: "at this instant in time." For example, a person might casually remark: "Now let me see.", as he checks on something someone asked about. This sentence has little actual meaning. It's just something someone might say to fill in a gap in a conversation. Or someone might s
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