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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analysis of a text #1
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He invited a despicable, he think, lawyer-to-be Uriah to have some coffee at his apartment.
Agnes is his old friend and Uriah is to become the partner of her father, a local lawyer, Mr. Wickfield.
Uriah tells him about Mr. Wickfiled's imprudence.
................................
I recollect well how indignantly my heart beat, as I saw his crafty face, with the appropriately red light of the fire upon it, preparing for something else.
'Master Copperfield,' he began - 'but am I keeping you up?'
'You are not keeping me up, [Mr. Heep.] I generally go to bed late.'
["Won't you call me Uriah?" he said, sweetly.
I though of Agnes, and I did, but, in spite of myself, with such a bad grace, and in such an abrupt manner, as he could not but observe. He appeared, nevertheless, to be quite placid.]
'Thank you, Master Copperfield! I have risen from my umble station since first you used to address me, it is true; but I am umble still. I hope I never shall be otherwise than umble. You will not think the worse of my umbleness, if I make a little confidence to you, Master Copperfield? Will you?'
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I think the antecedent of "as" is "such an abrupt manner."
So I was wondering why there is comma before "as."
2. I'd like to know "the worse of my umbleness" means "the worse one of my umblenss category."
I think this indicates the speaker have diverse humble disposition or have done some humble deeds and if "unmblness" were countable, he could show a worse unblness.
Thank you in advance for your help.
He invited a despicable, he think, lawyer-to-be Uriah to have some coffee at his apartment.
Agnes is his old friend and Uriah is to become the partner of her father, a local lawyer, Mr. Wickfield.
Uriah tells him about Mr. Wickfiled's imprudence.
................................
I recollect well how indignantly my heart beat, as I saw his crafty face, with the appropriately red light of the fire upon it, preparing for something else.
'Master Copperfield,' he began - 'but am I keeping you up?'
'You are not keeping me up, [Mr. Heep.] I generally go to bed late.'
["Won't you call me Uriah?" he said, sweetly.
I though of Agnes, and I did, but, in spite of myself, with such a bad grace, and in such an abrupt manner, as he could not but observe. He appeared, nevertheless, to be quite placid.]
'Thank you, Master Copperfield! I have risen from my umble station since first you used to address me, it is true; but I am umble still. I hope I never shall be otherwise than umble. You will not think the worse of my umbleness, if I make a little confidence to you, Master Copperfield? Will you?'
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I think the antecedent of "as" is "such an abrupt manner."
So I was wondering why there is comma before "as."
2. I'd like to know "the worse of my umbleness" means "the worse one of my umblenss category."
I think this indicates the speaker have diverse humble disposition or have done some humble deeds and if "unmblness" were countable, he could show a worse unblness.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. The "as" refers back to two causes First: " with such a bad grace" Second: " and in such an abrupt manner" If it had been a single cause, no comma would have been needed. However, by giving two causes, he can separate the second cause with a pair of commas, showing that it is an extra cause (and could be left out and still make sense).
- 1.
- The "as" refers back to two causes First: " with such a bad grace" Second: " and in such an abrupt manner" If it had been a single cause, no comma would have been needed.
- However, by giving two causes, he can separate the second cause with a pair of commas, showing that it is an extra cause (and could be left out and still make sense).
- 2.
- As to the "humbleness," I believe Heep wants to keep his reputation for being humble.
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13 Answers
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1. The "as" refers back to two causes
First:
" with such a bad grace"
Second:
"and in such an abrupt manner"
If it had been a single cause, no comma would have been needed. However, by giving two causes, he can separate the second cause with a pair of commas, showing that it is an extra cause (and could be left out and still make sense).
2. As to the
First:
" with such a bad grace"
Second:
"and in such an abrupt manner"
If it had been a single cause, no comma would have been needed. However, by giving two causes, he can separate the second cause with a pair of commas, showing that it is an extra cause (and could be left out and still make sense).
2. As to the
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Thank you, Doctor D, for your so very helpful answer. 
So, no, not a series of humble actions or state. Instead, he
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The first sentence has no particular meaning. You would have to add a lot to make it a meaningful sentence. For example
You will not think my humbleness is genuine, but it is.
In other words, you have to decide what it is you think about that humbleness.
On the other hand, "You will not think the worse of my humbleness" is a preparatory statement.
I would expec
You will not think my humbleness is genuine, but it is.
In other words, you have to decide what it is you think about that humbleness.
On the other hand, "You will not think the worse of my humbleness" is a preparatory statement.
I would expec
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Thank you, Doctor D, for your continuing support.
Then I was wondering if "You will not think the worse of my humblness" means
Then I was wondering if "You will not think the worse of my humblness" means
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No, the "worse" does not apply to the humbleness, it applies to the thinking.
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Thank you, DoctorD, for your continuing to answer.
And I'm afraid that I am badgering you.
And I'm afraid that I am badgering you.
No, the "worse" does
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park sang joonYou will not think the worse of my umbleness~ you will not think badly about my humility ~ you will not have a poor opinion of [me / my humility]
to think the worse of (someone / something) is about the same as to have bad opinions about (someone / something)
I will not think the worse of you if you mispronounc
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Hi
How dare you say that a sentence of Dickens has no particular meaning!
- You will not think the worse of my umbleness, if I make a little confidence to you, Master Copperfield?
This tells us that Uriah, as a character, and within the story, is a humble man. He does not dare to speak outright about his circumstances, so he tells Copperfield in a quiet way about himsel
How dare you say that a sentence of Dickens has no particular meaning!
- You will not think the worse of my umbleness, if I make a little confidence to you, Master Copperfield?
This tells us that Uriah, as a character, and within the story, is a humble man. He does not dare to speak outright about his circumstances, so he tells Copperfield in a quiet way about himsel
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... and, yes, as with all humble men, he wants to speak about himself. There's a lot of meaning in that sentence
Dave
Dave
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dave_anonHow dare you say that a sentence of Dickens has no particular meaning!I think you may have the wrong end of the stick. As I see it, Doctor D was commenting on two "sentences" presented by the OP, park sang joon. I quote from the OP's post:
Then I'd like to know the difference of [1] "You will not think my u
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