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Hela Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
"like that"
Dear teachers,
In the following sentence :
"You shouldn't leave a valuable necklace like that in the house, you should put it under lock and key."
Does "like that" modify "valuable", "necklace" or "leave"? i.e., how should I understand the clause " a necklace VALUABLE like that = such a VALUABLE necklace" or "a NECKLACE like that (which is valuable) = such a NECKLACE which is valuable " or "LEAVE like that the necklace in the house"?
Understanding that nuance would help me translate the sentence correctly. Which word should be emphasized in that clause: the noun, the adjective or the verb?
Thank you very much for your help and happy new year 2005!
Best regards,
Hela
In the following sentence :
"You shouldn't leave a valuable necklace like that in the house, you should put it under lock and key."
Does "like that" modify "valuable", "necklace" or "leave"? i.e., how should I understand the clause " a necklace VALUABLE like that = such a VALUABLE necklace" or "a NECKLACE like that (which is valuable) = such a NECKLACE which is valuable " or "LEAVE like that the necklace in the house"?
Understanding that nuance would help me translate the sentence correctly. Which word should be emphasized in that clause: the noun, the adjective or the verb?
Thank you very much for your help and happy new year 2005!
Best regards,
Hela
Top answer
"like that" = 'such as this one'. It makes the necklace more specific. It is more emphatic, it adds emphasis to the statement.
- "like that" = 'such as this one'.
- It makes the necklace more specific.
- It is more emphatic, it adds emphasis to the statement.
- It's not a general statement about the advisability of leavng valuable items around.
- It can be sentence modifying but in this case, due to its position, I'd say that it's pointedly about the valuable necklace.
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9 Answers
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"like that" = 'such as this one'. It makes the necklace more specific. It is more emphatic, it adds emphasis to the statement. It's not a general statement about the advisability of leavng valuable items around.
It can be sentence modifying but in this case, due to its position, I'd say that it's pointedly about the valuable necklace.
Sentence modifying: "You shouldn't leave
It can be sentence modifying but in this case, due to its position, I'd say that it's pointedly about the valuable necklace.
Sentence modifying: "You shouldn't leave
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I agree. "a valuable necklace like that necklace" "a valuable necklace such as that necklace" "a valuable necklace of that kind" are all possible springboards for translation.
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Good evening "just the truth",
If I understood you well the sentence means that "you should not be so negligent as to leave this necklace at anybody's reach"; is that so?
But is this not a different interpretation from that of CalifJim who thinks that the emphasis is put on "necklace" instead?
I don't know if anyone of you understands French, if yes I'll show you how
If I understood you well the sentence means that "you should not be so negligent as to leave this necklace at anybody's reach"; is that so?
But is this not a different interpretation from that of CalifJim who thinks that the emphasis is put on "necklace" instead?
I don't know if anyone of you understands French, if yes I'll show you how
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Il ne faut pas laisser trainer dans la maison un collier de si grande valeur; il faut le mettre sous clef.
That's what I would say, except I'm uncertain whether I should place "dans la maison" after "valeur"!
"un tel collier de si grande valeur" might also be possible if it's grammatical in French.
I'm not sure a literal "comme celui-la" would be the best translation
That's what I would say, except I'm uncertain whether I should place "dans la maison" after "valeur"!
"un tel collier de si grande valeur" might also be possible if it's grammatical in French.
I'm not sure a literal "comme celui-la" would be the best translation
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Hela wrote:
But is this not a different interpretation from that of CalifJim who thinks that the emphasis is put on "necklace" instead?
Hi Hela,
I think I agreed with CalifJim. I said,
"It can ['could' would work here too] be sentence modifying but in this case, due to its position, I'd say that it's pointedly about the valuable necklace.
But is this not a different interpretation from that of CalifJim who thinks that the emphasis is put on "necklace" instead?
Hi Hela,
I think I agreed with CalifJim. I said,
"It can ['could' would work here too] be sentence modifying but in this case, due to its position, I'd say that it's pointedly about the valuable necklace.
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Thank you both for your answers,
I understand much better now. The prepositional phrase should modify the noun"necklace". The thing is that I could have translated the sentence in different ways in French and that's what troubled me. e.g.
a) "Vous ne devriez pas laisser traîner un TEL COLLIER de cette valeur dans la maison, vous devriez le mettre sous clef."
b) Vous
I understand much better now. The prepositional phrase should modify the noun"necklace". The thing is that I could have translated the sentence in different ways in French and that's what troubled me. e.g.
a) "Vous ne devriez pas laisser traîner un TEL COLLIER de cette valeur dans la maison, vous devriez le mettre sous clef."
b) Vous
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I have looked at these sentences so long that I can no longer think clearly about the subtle differences!
All the while realizing that translation is always a compromise, I would vote for a) as the closest in literal meaning to the English. Nevertheless I find that b) reads better (with just one "valeur", of course!). I would accept any of the three as adequate equivalents. English is neu
All the while realizing that translation is always a compromise, I would vote for a) as the closest in literal meaning to the English. Nevertheless I find that b) reads better (with just one "valeur", of course!). I would accept any of the three as adequate equivalents. English is neu
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Don't laugh at me CalifJim, I'm trying my best! 
I'm trying to be as accurate as possible not to make any "faux sens" or "contrese
I'm trying to be as accurate as possible not to make any "faux sens" or "contrese00
Il n'y a pas de quoi!
As we say in English, I'm not laughing at you; I'm laughing withyou!
Un con
As we say in English, I'm not laughing at you; I'm laughing withyou!
Un con
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