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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

The analyses of a text #1

The narrator recalls his childhood; he is now in custody by his stepfather in his room.
He had been living with his mother, Peggotty the only maid of his house, his very stern stepfather Mr. Murdstone, and Mr. Mudstone's eccentric elder sister Miss Mudstone in his late father's house when he was forced to go Salem House, the boarding school near London.
Now he came home after the stay during a semester.
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His mother grumbles to Peggotty about Miss Mudstone as she criticizes Peggotty.

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"Haven't you heard her say, over and over again, that on this account she wishes to spare me a great deal of trouble, which she thinks I am not suited for, and isn't she up early and late, and going to and fro continually?and doesn't she do all sorts of things, and grope into all sorts of places, coal-holes and pantries and I don't know where, that can't be very agreeable?and do you mean to insinuate that to insinuate that there is not a sort of devotion in that?"
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know "isn't she up," "doesn't she do," and "do you mean" is connected with "Haven't you heard" by blue "and"s.
And I'd like to know what role "and" before "I don't know where" plays.
Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

Yes, the blue "and"s connect the speaker's stream of questions. "coal-holes and pantries and I don't know where" means "coal-holes and pantries and other places that I don't know about, or can't think of right now, or don't care to explicitly state".

  • Yes, the blue "and"s connect the speaker's stream of questions.
  • "coal-holes and pantries and I don't know where" means "coal-holes and pantries and other places that I don't know about, or can't think of right now, or don't care to explicitly state".
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3 Answers
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Yes, the blue "and"s connect the speaker's stream of questions.

"coal-holes and pantries and I don't know where" means "coal-holes and pantries and other places that I don't know about, or can't think of right now, or don't care to explicitly state".
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Thank you, GPY, for another so very kind answer from you. Emotion: smile
Then I was wondering if "a place/ places" is implied before "I don't
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park sang joonThank you, GPY, for another so very kind answer from you. Then I was wondering if "a place/ places" is implied before "I don't know where."
Not specifically, no. "... and I don't know where" is used in an informal idiomatic way. Probably we shouldn't worry too much about exact grammatical explanations.

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