0
Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #2
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He took a long journey, after his young wife died of a disease.
He now thinks of his old friend Agnes; he thinks he and Agnes would fall for one another.
I had always felt my weakness, in comparison with her constancy and fortitude; and now I felt it more and more. Whatever I might have been to her, or she to me, if I had been more worthy of her long ago, I was not now, and she was not. The time was past. I had let it go by, and had deservedly lost her.
That I suffered much in these contentions, that they filled me with unhappiness and remorse, and yet that I had a sustaining sense that it was required of me, in right and honour, to keep away from myself, with shame, the thought of turning to the dear girl in the withering of my hopes, from whom I had frivolously turned when they were bright and fresh - which consideration was at the root of every thought I had concerning her - is all equally true. I made no effort to conceal from myself, now, that I loved her, that I was devoted to her; but I brought the assurance home to myself, that it was now too late, and that our long-subsisting relation must be undisturbed.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "I was not now, and she was not" means.
2. I'd like to know the blue clauses are the subject of "is."
3. I'd like to know the former bold "that" means "because."
4. And I'd like to know the latter bold "that" means "in order that."
Thank you in advance for your help.
He took a long journey, after his young wife died of a disease.
He now thinks of his old friend Agnes; he thinks he and Agnes would fall for one another.
Chapter 58 ABSENCE
.................................I had always felt my weakness, in comparison with her constancy and fortitude; and now I felt it more and more. Whatever I might have been to her, or she to me, if I had been more worthy of her long ago, I was not now, and she was not. The time was past. I had let it go by, and had deservedly lost her.
That I suffered much in these contentions, that they filled me with unhappiness and remorse, and yet that I had a sustaining sense that it was required of me, in right and honour, to keep away from myself, with shame, the thought of turning to the dear girl in the withering of my hopes, from whom I had frivolously turned when they were bright and fresh - which consideration was at the root of every thought I had concerning her - is all equally true. I made no effort to conceal from myself, now, that I loved her, that I was devoted to her; but I brought the assurance home to myself, that it was now too late, and that our long-subsisting relation must be undisturbed.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "I was not now, and she was not" means.
2. I'd like to know the blue clauses are the subject of "is."
3. I'd like to know the former bold "that" means "because."
4. And I'd like to know the latter bold "that" means "in order that."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
park sang joon 1. I'd like to know what "I was not now, and she was not" means. I was not now whatever I might have been to her long ago, and she was not now whatever she might have been to me long ago.
- park sang joon 1.
- I'd like to know what "I was not now, and she was not" means.
- I was not now whatever I might have been to her long ago, and she was not now whatever she might have been to me long ago.
- park sang joon 2.
- " Yes.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
6 Answers
0
park sang joon1. I'd like to know what "I was not now, and she was not" means.I was not now whatever I might have been to her long ago, and she was not now whatever she might have been to me long ago.
park sang joon2. I'd like to know the blue clauses are the subject of "is."Yes.
park sang joon3. I'
00
Thank you, CalifJim, for your so very helpful answer. 
I thought "that" refers to the immediately preceding clauses?"that I love
I thought "that" refers to the immediately preceding clauses?"that I love
00
park sang joonI thought "that" refers to the immediately preceding clauses?"that I loved her, that I was devoted to her."Then I was wondering what "that" refers to."that" does not refer to anything. It is not a word that has a referent. It is only a complementizer. There are two that-clauses which complement 'conceal' and two that-clauses whi
00
Thank you, CalifJim, for your continuing support.
I'm so sorry; I would have written "the assurance," not "that."
But now,
I'm so sorry; I would have written "the assurance," not "that."
But now,
00
CalifJim"that" does not refer to anything. It is not a word that has a referent. It is only a complementizer. There are two that-clauses which complement 'conceal' and two that-clauses which complement 'assurance'. (The that-clauses are also called "content clauses".)Is the that-conjunction the same as that-complementizer in that-clauses?
00
AnonymousIs the that-conjunction the same as that-complementizer in that-clauses?Yes. The term complementizer is more recent term in English grammar and linguistics.
CJ
0
Related Questions