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Bepleased Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
The intrinsic meaning of "can"
Hi,
We know a dictionary gives "can" two basic definitions that one is "to be able to" ,another is "to show what is possible".
And I have had two logic images about them in the mind, but I am not sure that it is true to life.
Would you give them a look over to check my ideas?
Thanks for your help.
He can touch the ceiling.
to touch the ceiling(= as the judge)................................touch the ceiling
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able.......the ability that is need for touching ceiling............can
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is.........has
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he.........he.......................................................he...............................
The intrinsic meaning of "can" is that the "to touch the ceiling" is personified to make an judgment about the ability of the key-player-person he and indicate him having the ability that is needed for touching the ceiling. So, the "he" must be at the bottom of the sentence, because he is judged by the personified man.
2. To show what is possible, the logic image in mind is:
Can he still be alive after all this time?
To the thing to exist / to happen / to be done....(the judge)
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The ability
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Has........................................................ can
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He still be alive after all this time.......................he still be alive after all this time
The intrinsic meaning of another can is that the thing to exist / to be done is personified to make an judgment about the ability of “he still be alive after all this time” and indicate the sentence having the ability that is needed for the thing to exist / to be done.
We know a dictionary gives "can" two basic definitions that one is "to be able to" ,another is "to show what is possible".
And I have had two logic images about them in the mind, but I am not sure that it is true to life.
Would you give them a look over to check my ideas?
Thanks for your help.
- To "to be able to", its logic image in mind is:
He can touch the ceiling.
to touch the ceiling(= as the judge)................................touch the ceiling
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
able.......the ability that is need for touching ceiling............can
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
is.........has
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
he.........he.......................................................he...............................
The intrinsic meaning of "can" is that the "to touch the ceiling" is personified to make an judgment about the ability of the key-player-person he and indicate him having the ability that is needed for touching the ceiling. So, the "he" must be at the bottom of the sentence, because he is judged by the personified man.
2. To show what is possible, the logic image in mind is:
Can he still be alive after all this time?
To the thing to exist / to happen / to be done....(the judge)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ability
----------------
Has........................................................ can
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He still be alive after all this time.......................he still be alive after all this time
The intrinsic meaning of another can is that the thing to exist / to be done is personified to make an judgment about the ability of “he still be alive after all this time” and indicate the sentence having the ability that is needed for the thing to exist / to be done.
Top answer
I'm afraid that this makes little sense to me.
- I'm afraid that this makes little sense to me.
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