The use of "but" as an adversative conjunction

Question

When the word "but" is used as an adversative conjunction (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time.), is there any feasible way that the clause following it would not interpreted as an expostulation or dissuasion?

Or conversely, are there any exceptions to the general notion that the phrase following the "but" is adversative to the phrase proceeding the "but"?
If so, are there any examples of such usage?
If more than one phrase follows "but" (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time and I have no money.), is the phrase adjacent to "but" seen as the principal objection?
Secondarily, with the other adversative conjunction, "however", do the rules significantly differ?
Kind regards,
GJV

Usenet · Accepted Answer

"Garry J. Vass" (Email Removed) burbled
[nq:1]When the word "but" is used as an adversative conjunction (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time.), is there any feasible way that the clause following it would not interpreted as an expostulation or dissuasion?[/nq]
I cannot imagine one that would make the second a paradoxical agreement with the first rather than an absolute inanity: "I'd love to marry you, but {I love you / I'd love to spend the rest of my life with you}" or "I'd love to *** you, but you're very ****", or "I love chocolate, but it's so delicious". The "but" is misused in every case to mean "because", or else it's an indicator that the speaker is attempting to make some ironic point (e.g., "I'd never join a club that would have me as a member").
[nq:1]Or conversely, are there any exceptions to the general notion that the phrase following the "but" is adversative to the phrase proceeding the "but"?[/nq]
Only if the second phrase were non sequitur, e.g., "I'd love to marry you, but it's raining".
[nq:1]If so, are there any examples of such usage?[/nq]
Perhaps something like "But of course the butler did it!" could be construed as not remonstrative or dissuasive if it is in reply to someone else's statement "The butler did it". But it still stands as an implied "How could I not have realized it?" or "How could I have thought that anyone else, like Colonel Mustard, was guilty?"
[nq:1]If more than one phrase follows "but" (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time and I have no money.), is the phrase adjacent to "but" seen as the principal objection?[/nq]
I wouldn't think there's anything to support that notion beyond the probable but not necessarily true explanation that the first reason came to mind first because it was more important than the second; that, however, is difficult to prove; it might be the more important reason for the listener rather than for the speaker.
[nq:1]Secondarily, with the other adversative conjunction, "however", do the rules significantly differ?[/nq]
I wouldn't think so. But you must have some reason for asking this question that suggests it isn't wise to think not.

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In Australian soap operas, everyone says 'but' at the end of a sentence.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]When the word "but" is used as an adversative conjunction (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time.), is there any feasible way that the clause following it would not interpreted as an expostulation or dissuasion?[/nq]
I'd like to go but I don't have time.
How is the second clause an expostulation or dissuasion? It's not necessarily directed at the listener at all, except to convey information, if the sentence isn't a reply to "Let's go!".
[nq:1]Or conversely, are there any exceptions to the general notion that the phrase following the "but" is adversative to the ... adjacent to "but" seen as the principal objection? Secondarily, with the other adversative conjunction, "however", do the rules significantly differ?[/nq]
john

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(Email Removed):
[nq:1]In Australian soap operas, everyone says 'but' at the end of a sentence.[/nq]
Are you sure that it isn't "****"? That would not only be appropriate for the end of the sentence, but it also would give the audience something constructive to do in the absence of a Foster's to drain.

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wrote in

:
[nq:1]In Australian soap operas, everyone says 'but' at the end of a sentence.[/nq]
That's not true, but! It's only Queenslanders, eh?

Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, CMS Collaboration, Brunel University. (Email Removed) Room 40-1-B12, CERN KotPT "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

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[nq:1]When the word "but" is used as an adversative conjunction (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no ... to "but" seenas the principal objection? Secondarily, with the other adversative conjunction, "however", do therules significantly differ? Kind regards, GJV[/nq]
I overheard an unusual usage of the conjunction 'but' on the the bus the other
day by two American.
"my wife takes it up the but" said one guy. Unusual to see a conjunction at the end
of a sentence isn't it?

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<
[nq:1](Garry J. Vass)[/nq]
When the word "but" is used as an adversative conjunction (I.e., I would like to go, but I have no time.), is there any feasible way that the clause following it would not interpreted as an expostulation or dissuasion?

Or conversely, are there any exceptions to the general notion that the phrase following the "but" is adversative to the phrase proceeding the "but"?
If so, are there any examples of such usage?
(end quote)
Maybe you will be interested in these:
"Would you like anything to drink?"
"I'll have a Dr. Pepper, but Suzy would like a Perrier" (Suzy may not be in the room at the time)
"Do it today but do it right."
"He almost stepped on the toy train, but saw it just in time."

Richard Maurer To reply, remove half
Sunnyvale, California of a homonym of a synonym for also.

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In article
[nq:1]I overheard an unusual usage of the conjunction 'but' on the the bus the other day by two American. "my wife takes it up the but" said one guy. Unusual to see a conjunction at the end of a sentence isn't it?[/nq]
Reminds me of the fairly well-known urban legend:
In response to a question from host Bob Eubanks about the "most unusual place you've ever made whoopee," a female Newlywed Game contestant responded, "That would be up the ****, Bob."
(http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/newlywed.htm)
Francis

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,
[nq:2]I overheard an unusual usage of the conjunction 'but' on ... a conjunction at the end of a sentence isn't it?[/nq]
[nq:1]Reminds me of the fairly well-known urban legend: In response to a question from host Bob Eubanks about the "most unusual place you've ever made whoopee," a female Newlywed Game contestant responded, "That would be up the ****, Bob." (http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/newlywed.htm)[/nq]
Snopes is a bit behind the times. Someone found the actual clip (not the Olga clip available at Snopes), and it was the final item on a full-hour TV-quiz-bloopers show that ran on one of the American broadcast networks a few months back. I was watching it, of course, to catch the errors on *Jeopardy!* and other feasts for the intellect, but the two emcees, one of whom was Eubanks, were so insistent that we had do watch the last item that for once I actually did so. My lip-reading isn't that good, and of course the audio was bleeped, but I'm pretty sure the nice lady said "in the ***."
Eubanks admitted that it had occurred and said he had somehow forgotten. How, I wonder, can you forget something like that?

Oh, and it wasn't Betty Furness who wrestled the refrigerator (Westinghouse, not William Perry).

Bob Lieblich
I watch too much TV

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[nq:1]Secondarily, with the other adversative conjunction, "however", do the rules significantly differ?[/nq]
Not under English Law.

The use of "but" as an adversative conjunction

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