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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #3
The narrator recalls his childhood; now he is at the boarding school near London.
Today is his birthday, and he is informed of the news his mother is dead by wife of the school's owner at the parlor.
I stood upon a chair when I was left alone, and looked into the glass to see how red my eyes were, and how sorrowful my face. I considered, after some hours were gone, if my tears really hard to flow now, as they seemed to be, what, in connection with my loss, it would affect me most to think of when I drew near home?for I was going to the funeral. I am sensible of having felt that a dignity attached to me among the rest of the boys, and that I was important in my affliction.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know if the "if" the underlined clause is an object of "considered."
I'd like to know if "what" means "whatever."
And I'd like to know if "to think" means "if I thought."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Today is his birthday, and he is informed of the news his mother is dead by wife of the school's owner at the parlor.
I stood upon a chair when I was left alone, and looked into the glass to see how red my eyes were, and how sorrowful my face. I considered, after some hours were gone, if my tears really hard to flow now, as they seemed to be, what, in connection with my loss, it would affect me most to think of when I drew near home?for I was going to the funeral. I am sensible of having felt that a dignity attached to me among the rest of the boys, and that I was important in my affliction.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know if the "if" the underlined clause is an object of "considered."
I'd like to know if "what" means "whatever."
And I'd like to know if "to think" means "if I thought."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
" The object of "considered" is "what ... ". Apparently it should read "if my tears were really hard to flow now".
- " The object of "considered" is "what ...
- ".
- Apparently it should read "if my tears were really hard to flow now".
- "if" is apparently used in the sense of "given that", though the semantic connection between the "if" clause and the main clause is not entirely clear to me.
- " Essentially yes, though a direct substitution would not work well.
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3 Answers
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park sang joonI'd like to know if the "if" the underlined clause is an object of "considered."I'd like to know if "what" means "whatever."The object of "considered" is "what ... it would affect me most to think of ...".
Apparently it should read "if my tears were really hard to flow now".
"if" is apparently used in the sense of "given
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Thank you, GPY, for another so very kind answer from you. 
The object of "considered" is "what ... it would affect m
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The question is "What would it affect me most to think of ...?" The narrator is considering this question.
"it" is the same "it" as in "It affects me to think of ...". You can think of it as a dummy or anticipatory "it".
"it" is the same "it" as in "It affects me to think of ...". You can think of it as a dummy or anticipatory "it".
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