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Wholegrain Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Questions on the word but

1) Can "but" be used instead of that when an idea of doubt, fear or distaste?

2) Can "but" mean that...not, therefore "There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it" means "There never is a tax law that someone will not oppose"?

3) What does "but" mean here? "Still, he was far from the illiberality of denying that philosophy duly bounded was not permissible. Only he deemed it at least desirable that, when such a case as that alleged of the unfortunate man was made the subject of philosophic discussion, it should be so philosophized upon, as not to afford handles to those unblessed with the true light. For, but to grant that there was so much as a mystery about such a case, might by those persons be held for a tacit surrender of the question."

Hernan Melville - The Confidence Man

http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/13
  

Top answer

wholegrain 1) Can "but" be used instead of that when an idea of doubt, fear or distaste? not, therefore "There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it" means "There never is a tax law that someone will not oppose"? 3) What does "but" mean here ?

— Feebs11

  • wholegrain 1) Can "but" be used instead of that when an idea of doubt, fear or distaste?
  • not, therefore "There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it" means "There never is a tax law that someone will not oppose"?
  • 3) What does "but" mean here ?
  • " Still, he was far from the illiberality of denying that philosophy duly bounded was not permissible.
  • Only he deemed it at least desirable that, when such a case as that alleged of the unfortunate man was made the subject of philosophic discussion, it should be so philosophized upon, as not to afford handles to those unblessed with the true light.
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26 Answers
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wholegrain1) Can "but" be used instead of that when an idea of doubt, fear or distaste?

2) Can "but" mean that...not, therefore "There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it" means "There never is a tax law that someone will not oppose"?

3) What does "but" mean here?
"Still, he was far from the illiberality of d
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wholegrain1) Can "but" be used instead of that when an idea of doubt, fear or distaste?

2) Can "but" mean that...not, therefore "There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it" means "There never is a tax law that someone will not oppose"?
Hi, wholegrain.
I think it's a gross oversimplification to say that "but" is substituted for
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Are you sure? So can you say "For that to not grant that there was so much as a mystery about such a case, might by those persons be held for a tacit surrender of the question."? Most people to whom I asked said it meant merely, although it doesn't seem to be the case.
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I was asking the third question because of this definition I picked up in a dictionary:

"7. That . . . not. Used after a negative or question: There never is a tax law presented but someone will oppose it."
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I asked the second question because you can say "I don't fear but he is dead" instead of "I don't fear that he is dead" like in Shakespeare.
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wholegrain you can say "I don't fear but he is dead" instead of "I don't fear that he is dead"
Ouch! I need some sleep.

I'd take this one to mean the opposite. "I don't fear [the opposite of that] he is dead." EQUALS "I'm sure he is dead." That is, "but" equals "the exception to." I don't fear the exception to his being dead. I
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Some threads make me feel thick as bricks. This one is certainly one of them.

Emotion: smile

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Read my other threads. I only ask questions that are kinda hard to respond to.
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wholegrainHere are the answers I got from yahoo answer:
Wow! These are split 50-50 and none of them really sounds/sound authoritative. (9 responses)

Do these 2 sentences mean the same thing?

I don't fear that he will come.

I don't fear but he will come.

Yes. The second one is an old fashioned way of saying that you are
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