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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #3
The narrator recalls his childhood.
He was forced to work for his own living for Mr. Murdstone's friend Mr. Quinion at London by his stepfather Mr. Murdstone.
When the protagonist started to run away to his grand aunt Miss Betsey Trotwood, he was robbed his money and box by a porter and then he abandoned pursuing him after a long distance pursuit.
At last, he arrived his grand aunt's place after a long and rough traveling.
He said his own story to his aunt and her friend Mr. Dick, whom his aunt takes care of.
And she sent a letter to his stepfather Mr. Murdstone to ask him come over, and his reply said he was coming tomorrow.
Now Mr. Murdstone with his sister Miss Jane Murdstone came to his aunt's.
..........................
"Merely this, Miss Trotwood," he returned. "I am here to take David back, to take him back unconditionally, to dispose of him as I think proper, and to deal with him as I think right. I am not here to make any promise, or give any pledge to anybody. You may possibly have some idea, Miss Trotwood, of abetting him in his running away, and in his complaints to you. Your manner, which I must say does not seem intended to propitiate, induces me to think it possible. Now I must caution you that if you abet him once, you abet him for good and all; If you step step in between him and me, now, you must step in, Miss Trotwood, for ever. I cannot trifle, or be trifled with. I am here, for the first and last time, to take him away. Is he ready to go? If he is not?and you tell me he is not, on any pretence; it is indifferent to me what?my doors are shut against him henceforth, and yours, I take it for granted, are open to him."
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "abetting him in his complaints to you."
2. I'd like to know "must" is omitted before "abet."
3. I'd like to know if "what" means "whatever" here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
He was forced to work for his own living for Mr. Murdstone's friend Mr. Quinion at London by his stepfather Mr. Murdstone.
When the protagonist started to run away to his grand aunt Miss Betsey Trotwood, he was robbed his money and box by a porter and then he abandoned pursuing him after a long distance pursuit.
At last, he arrived his grand aunt's place after a long and rough traveling.
He said his own story to his aunt and her friend Mr. Dick, whom his aunt takes care of.
And she sent a letter to his stepfather Mr. Murdstone to ask him come over, and his reply said he was coming tomorrow.
Now Mr. Murdstone with his sister Miss Jane Murdstone came to his aunt's.
..........................
"Merely this, Miss Trotwood," he returned. "I am here to take David back, to take him back unconditionally, to dispose of him as I think proper, and to deal with him as I think right. I am not here to make any promise, or give any pledge to anybody. You may possibly have some idea, Miss Trotwood, of abetting him in his running away, and in his complaints to you. Your manner, which I must say does not seem intended to propitiate, induces me to think it possible. Now I must caution you that if you abet him once, you abet him for good and all; If you step step in between him and me, now, you must step in, Miss Trotwood, for ever. I cannot trifle, or be trifled with. I am here, for the first and last time, to take him away. Is he ready to go? If he is not?and you tell me he is not, on any pretence; it is indifferent to me what?my doors are shut against him henceforth, and yours, I take it for granted, are open to him."
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "abetting him in his complaints to you."
2. I'd like to know "must" is omitted before "abet."
3. I'd like to know if "what" means "whatever" here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. Helping him remedy or deal with his complaints. 2.
- 1.
- Helping him remedy or deal with his complaints.
- 2.
- Although it would make a similar sort of sense with "must", I don't see any reason to think that "must" has been omitted.
- 3.
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3 Answers
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1. Helping him remedy or deal with his complaints.
2. Although it would make a similar sort of sense with "must", I don't see any reason to think that "must" has been omitted.
3. I think "what" means "what pretence".
2. Although it would make a similar sort of sense with "must", I don't see any reason to think that "must" has been omitted.
3. I think "what" means "what pretence".
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Thank you, GPY, for another So Very kind answer from you. 
3. I think "what" means "what pretence".
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park sang joonSo I was wondering how "what pretence" becomes an adverb phrase.I don't see how it can be adverbial. The meaning, as I understand it, is that he is indifferent to "what kind of pretence" is used, i.e. to the nature of the pretence.
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