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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #5
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He was an apprentice for Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter Dora fell in love with each other, and he got married to Dora.
Today He invited Traddles to dinner, but Dora spoiled the dinner for her poor housekeeping.
.................................
My poor little wife was in such affliction when she thought I should be annoyed, and in such a state of joy when she found I was not, that the discomfiture I had subdued, very soon vanished, and we passed a happy evening; Dora sitting with her arm on my chair while Traddles and I discussed a glass of wine, and taking every opportunity of whispering in my ear that it was so good of me not to be a cruel, cross old boy. By and by she made tea for us; which it was so pretty to see her do, as if she was busying herself with a set of doll's tea-things, that I was not particular about the quality of the beverage. Then Traddles and I played a game or two at cribbage; and Dora singing to the guitar the while, it seemed to me as if our courtship and marriage were a tender dream of mine, and the night when I first listened to her voice were not yet over.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know if "over" is omitted after "discussed."
2. I'd like to know if "which" is the object of "do."
3. And I'd like to know "it" refers to "Dora singing to the guitar the while."
Thank you in advance for your help.
He was an apprentice for Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter Dora fell in love with each other, and he got married to Dora.
Today He invited Traddles to dinner, but Dora spoiled the dinner for her poor housekeeping.
.................................
My poor little wife was in such affliction when she thought I should be annoyed, and in such a state of joy when she found I was not, that the discomfiture I had subdued, very soon vanished, and we passed a happy evening; Dora sitting with her arm on my chair while Traddles and I discussed a glass of wine, and taking every opportunity of whispering in my ear that it was so good of me not to be a cruel, cross old boy. By and by she made tea for us; which it was so pretty to see her do, as if she was busying herself with a set of doll's tea-things, that I was not particular about the quality of the beverage. Then Traddles and I played a game or two at cribbage; and Dora singing to the guitar the while, it seemed to me as if our courtship and marriage were a tender dream of mine, and the night when I first listened to her voice were not yet over.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know if "over" is omitted after "discussed."
2. I'd like to know if "which" is the object of "do."
3. And I'd like to know "it" refers to "Dora singing to the guitar the while."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. "discuss" is transitive, at least in modern English, so "discussed over a glass of wine" wouldn't work. Unless this is an old idiom that I don't know, it does seem to mean just what it says, though I'm not sure whether they were discussing whether to have a glass of wine or the merits of the wine that they were drinking.
- 1.
- "discuss" is transitive, at least in modern English, so "discussed over a glass of wine" wouldn't work.
- Unless this is an old idiom that I don't know, it does seem to mean just what it says, though I'm not sure whether they were discussing whether to have a glass of wine or the merits of the wine that they were drinking.
- 2.
- Yes, referring to her making tea.
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3 Answers
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1. "discuss" is transitive, at least in modern English, so "discussed over a glass of wine" wouldn't work. Unless this is an old idiom that I don't know, it does seem to mean just what it says, though I'm not sure whether they were discussing whether to have a glass of wine or the merits of the wine that they were drinking.
2. Yes, referring to her making tea.
3. No, it's a dummy
2. Yes, referring to her making tea.
3. No, it's a dummy
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Thank you, GPY, for another So very helpful answer from you. 
I'm so sorry for my tardy question.
3. I'd also like to know i
I'm so sorry for my tardy question.
3. I'd also like to know i
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This is an old-fashioned use of "the while". I believe the part in question means that Dora sang to the guitar while the narrator and Traddles played cribbage.
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