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Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
reference
Today, everything is supposed to be known---if not to us then to some expert whose bussiness is to know what we don't know.
About 'not to us' and 'to some expert', what do they refer to; the entire sentence in front (i.e. everything is supposed to be known) or '(to be) known' only?
About 'not to us' and 'to some expert', what do they refer to; the entire sentence in front (i.e. everything is supposed to be known) or '(to be) known' only?
Top answer
I would say the whole main clause, Taka.
- I would say the whole main clause, Taka.
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26 Answers
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Good.
Now, MM, how would you rewrite the elliptic 'if not to me then to some specialist' into a complete sentence with subjects and verbs?
Now, MM, how would you rewrite the elliptic 'if not to me then to some specialist' into a complete sentence with subjects and verbs?
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Something like:
Everything is supposed to be known today to me, and if it is not known to me, then it is supposed to be known to some specialist.
Now, what have I accomplished here, Taka?
Everything is supposed to be known today to me, and if it is not known to me, then it is supposed to be known to some specialist.
Now, what have I accomplished here, Taka?
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Mister Micawber...and if it is not known to me, then it is supposed to be known to some specialist.
Doesn't your revised one actually imply that 'to me' and 'to some specialist' refer to '(to be) known'?
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(It's me, unlogged-- MM)
No. You originally asked what the if...specialist referred to. It refers to the knowledge of everything.
No. You originally asked what the if...specialist referred to. It refers to the knowledge of everything.
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Anonymous(It's me, unlogged-- MM)
You originally asked what the if...specialist referred to.
No, I didn't. I asked:
About 'not to us' and 'to some expert', what do they refer to;...?
Again, what do they refer to? Still the
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Today, everything is supposed to be known
A) if not to us
B) then to some expert whose bussiness is to know what we don't know.
1) Today, everything is supposed to be known to A and/or just B
2) Today, everything is supposed to be known to B
A) if not to us
B) then to some expert whose bussiness is to know what we don't know.
1) Today, everything is supposed to be known to A and/or just B
2) Today, everything is supposed to be known to B
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Dear Taka,
It is my opinion that we may restate the sentence as follows: «Today, everything is supposed to be known either to us or to some expert whose business is to know what we don't know».
Kind regards,
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Thank you, goldmud. So you think they refer to '(to be) known'?
Plus, how would you rewite the elliptic 'if....' into 'if S is supposed to...'?
Plus, how would you rewite the elliptic 'if....' into 'if S is supposed to...'?
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I don't entirely agree. I think the confusion lies in the passive voice. I will rewrite what I presume the author is trying to say.
Today everything is supposed to be known (by someone), if everything is not known by us then everything is known to some expert, whose business it is know .....
Now the objective case "us" implies we need the nominative ("everything" or pronoun "it"
Today everything is supposed to be known (by someone), if everything is not known by us then everything is known to some expert, whose business it is know .....
Now the objective case "us" implies we need the nominative ("everything" or pronoun "it"
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