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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.
Now he starts his new life with the name "Trotwood Copperfield."
He has corresponded with Peggotty, his old nurse several times afterwards.
I made out, without much difficulty, that she could not take quite kindly to my aunt yet. The notice was too short after so long a prepossession the other way. We never knew a person, she wrote, but to think that Miss Betsey should seem to be so different from what she had been thought to be, was a Moral! That was her word. She was evidently still afraid of Miss Betsey, for she sent her grateful duty to her but timidly, and she was evidently afraid of me, too, and entertained the possibility of my running away again soon, if I might judge from the repeated hints she threw out, that the coach-fare to Yarmouth was always to be had of her for the asking.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "a person," not "she (Miss Betsey)."
2. I'd like to know why it is "had of," not "had from."
3. And I'd like to know what "for the asking" means.
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.
Now he starts his new life with the name "Trotwood Copperfield."
He has corresponded with Peggotty, his old nurse several times afterwards.
I made out, without much difficulty, that she could not take quite kindly to my aunt yet. The notice was too short after so long a prepossession the other way. We never knew a person, she wrote, but to think that Miss Betsey should seem to be so different from what she had been thought to be, was a Moral! That was her word. She was evidently still afraid of Miss Betsey, for she sent her grateful duty to her but timidly, and she was evidently afraid of me, too, and entertained the possibility of my running away again soon, if I might judge from the repeated hints she threw out, that the coach-fare to Yarmouth was always to be had of her for the asking.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "a person," not "she (Miss Betsey)."
2. I'd like to know why it is "had of," not "had from."
3. And I'd like to know what "for the asking" means.
Top answer
park sang joon 1. " Because it's a general statement about any person. We never knew any person (who) was a Moral!
- park sang joon 1.
- " Because it's a general statement about any person.
- We never knew any person (who) was a Moral!
- Frankly, I don't know exactly what Peggotty meant, but there may very well be some element here that shows that she did not write in the best of English as she was not formally educated.
- park sang joon 2.
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5 Answers
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park sang joon1. I'd like to know why it is "a person," not "she (Miss Betsey)."Because it's a general statement about any person. We never knew any person (who) was a Moral!
Frankly, I don't know exactly what Peggotty meant, but there may very well be some element here that shows that she did not write in the best of English as she was not f
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Thank you, CalifJim, for your so very helpful answer. 
I know I can replace Conditional with several patterns.
But I didn't
I know I can replace Conditional with several patterns.
But I didn't
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park sang joonBut I didn't know I could replace Conditional with prepositional phrases.What is it in the text that brings up this question? What pattern have you seen there that looks to you like a prepositional phrase replacing a conditional?
I ask because I'm not sure how to respond.
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Yes.
Is it because of how I paraphrased "for the asking"?
My friend would not say such a
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I'm sorry that I cannot think of any other examples. "for the asking" is the only example that comes to mind, and only because it came up randomly in this thread. I don't suppose that we English speakers think of grammatical structures quite that way.
CJ
CJ
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