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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #1
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He, his great aunt Miss Trotwood and his friends came to Ham's office to meet Mr. Micawber who is the clerk for local lawyer Uriah Hip, whom he struck in the cheek because of his mean behavior.
Uriah Hip is the partner of Mr. Wickfield, who is very sick now, whose only daughter Agnes is narrator's old friend, whom Uriah Hip has an affection for.
Mr. Micawber just now exposed Uriah Heep's illegal deeds, reading a prepared letter.
Traddles is the narrator's best friend and a lawyer.
Chapter 52 I ASSIST AT AN EXPLOSION
.................................
Here, Mrs. Heep broke out again, crying on her knees to Agnes to interfere in their behalf, exclaiming that he was very humble, and it was all true, and if he didn't do what we wanted, she would, and much more to the same purpose; being half frantic with fears for her darling. To inquire what he might have done, if he had had any boldness, would be like inquiring what a mongrel cur might do, if it had the spirit of a tiger. He was a coward, from head to foot; and showed his dastardly nature through his sullenness and mortification, as much as at any time of his mean life.
'Stop!' he growled to me; and wiped his hot face with his hand. 'Mother, hold your noise. Well! Let 'em have that deed. Go and fetch it!'
'Do you help her, Mr. Dick,' said Traddles, 'if you please.'
Proud of his commission, and understanding it, Mr. Dick accompanied her as a shepherd's dog might accompany a sheep. But, Mrs. Heep gave him little trouble; for she not only returned with the deed, but with the box in which it was, where we found a banker's book and some other papers that were afterwards serviceable.
'Good!' said Traddles, when this was brought. 'Now, Mr. Heep, you can retire to think: particularly observing, if you please, that I declare to you, on the part of all present, that there is only one thing to be done; that it is what I have explained; and that it must be done without delay.'
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "in their behalf," not "on their behalf."
2. I'd like to know what "return with something" means.
3. I'd like to know what "retire to do something" means.
4. And I'd like to know the blue "that" clauses are the objects of "declare."
Thank you in advance for your help.
He, his great aunt Miss Trotwood and his friends came to Ham's office to meet Mr. Micawber who is the clerk for local lawyer Uriah Hip, whom he struck in the cheek because of his mean behavior.
Uriah Hip is the partner of Mr. Wickfield, who is very sick now, whose only daughter Agnes is narrator's old friend, whom Uriah Hip has an affection for.
Mr. Micawber just now exposed Uriah Heep's illegal deeds, reading a prepared letter.
Traddles is the narrator's best friend and a lawyer.
Chapter 52 I ASSIST AT AN EXPLOSION
.................................
Here, Mrs. Heep broke out again, crying on her knees to Agnes to interfere in their behalf, exclaiming that he was very humble, and it was all true, and if he didn't do what we wanted, she would, and much more to the same purpose; being half frantic with fears for her darling. To inquire what he might have done, if he had had any boldness, would be like inquiring what a mongrel cur might do, if it had the spirit of a tiger. He was a coward, from head to foot; and showed his dastardly nature through his sullenness and mortification, as much as at any time of his mean life.
'Stop!' he growled to me; and wiped his hot face with his hand. 'Mother, hold your noise. Well! Let 'em have that deed. Go and fetch it!'
'Do you help her, Mr. Dick,' said Traddles, 'if you please.'
Proud of his commission, and understanding it, Mr. Dick accompanied her as a shepherd's dog might accompany a sheep. But, Mrs. Heep gave him little trouble; for she not only returned with the deed, but with the box in which it was, where we found a banker's book and some other papers that were afterwards serviceable.
'Good!' said Traddles, when this was brought. 'Now, Mr. Heep, you can retire to think: particularly observing, if you please, that I declare to you, on the part of all present, that there is only one thing to be done; that it is what I have explained; and that it must be done without delay.'
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "in their behalf," not "on their behalf."
2. I'd like to know what "return with something" means.
3. I'd like to know what "retire to do something" means.
4. And I'd like to know the blue "that" clauses are the objects of "declare."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
park sang joon 1. " It's nineteenth-century English, as far as I know. park sang joon 2.
- park sang joon 1.
- " It's nineteenth-century English, as far as I know.
- park sang joon 2.
- I'd like to know what "return with something" means.
- come back (after being away), and holding something.
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4 Answers
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park sang joon1. I'd like to know why it is "in their behalf," not "on their behalf."It's nineteenth-century English, as far as I know.
park sang joon2. I'd like to know what "return with something" means.come back (after being away), and holding something.
park sang joon3. I'd like to know what "re
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Thank you, CalifJim, for your so very helpful answer. 
3. Then I'd also like to know if the structure "retire to do somethi
3. Then I'd also like to know if the structure "retire to do somethi
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Some people apparently make a distinction in meaning between "in someone's behalf" and "on someone's behalf". For example, see http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2006/09/in-behalf-of-vs-on-behalf-of.html
To me personally, "in someone's behalf" sounds wrong. I remember be
To me personally, "in someone's behalf" sounds wrong. I remember be
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park sang joon3. Then I'd also like to know if the structure "retire to do something" is idiomatic in present English.It's idiomatic but very seldom used in my experience. It strikes me as chiefly literary.
CJ
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