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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

The analyses of a text #1

The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He visited his old nurse Peggotty's house for her husband Mr. Barkis' impending death.
There are Peggotty's elder brother Mr. Peggotty, his niece Em'ly and his nephew, adopted son, and Em'ly's fiance Ham.
Mr. Peggotty talks to Emily after Ham leaves.

..........................
'Now, I'm a going upstairs to tell your aunt as Mas'r Davy's here, and that'll cheer her up a bit,' he said. 'Sit ye down by the fire, the while, my dear, and warm those mortal cold hands. You doen't need to be so fearsome, and take on so much. What? You'll go along with me? - Well! come along with me - come! If her uncle was turned out of house and home, and forced to lay down in a dyke, Mas'r Davy,' said Mr. Peggotty, with no less pride than before, 'it's my belief she'd go along with him, now! But there'll be someone else, soon, - someone else, soon, Em'ly!'
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know if "as" means "that."
2. I'd like to know why it is "if," not "as if."
3. And I'd like to know if "him" means "me" Mr. Peggotty.
Thank you in advance for your help.
  

Top answer

1. Yes (dialect or old-fashioned). 2.

  • 1.
  • Yes (dialect or old-fashioned).
  • 2.
  • It's a fairly ordinary conditional: If her uncle was turned out of house and home ...
  • it's my belief she'd (= she would) go along with him 3.
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1 Answers
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1. Yes (dialect or old-fashioned).

2. It's a fairly ordinary conditional:

If her uncle was turned out of house and home ... it's my belief she'd (= she would) go along with him

3. It refers to the same person as "her uncle", which seems to be the speaker, Mr. Peggotty, as you say.

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