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Exodejavu Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
"they ... a ..."
Hi,
I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words.
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In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night.
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What confused me is the "they ... a whimpering, quivering lump."
I think the subject and the object do not agree...
Out of curiosity, I googled these words, and found a passage with a different wording.
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In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of the threats, he is reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump. He is just as likely to soil his britches as run screaming into the night.
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Quoted from http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/352585
It seems that the first is a changed version* of the second, but seems to me to be a careless change...
Is the first permissible?
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The United States is doing its part to help find a diplomatic solution to this problem. However, the solution must be multilateral in conception and execution. North Korea's actions are not a bilateral issue between the United States and North Korea. Rather, they are a problem of vital concern to the entire international community. All NPT parties have a stake in preventing a nuclear-armed North Korea, upholding the global nonproliferation regime and promoting the success of the NPT.
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Quoted from http://geneva.usmission.gov/press2003/0501NPTsemmel.htm
(in the tenth paragraph)
I think this "they ... a problem" is a different case....right?
I need some comments.
* And is there a better word for "a changed version" which suits this situation?
I had typed "an adaptation" but seemed to be a wrong word.
Best Regards
I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words.
----------
In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night.
-----------
What confused me is the "they ... a whimpering, quivering lump."
I think the subject and the object do not agree...
Out of curiosity, I googled these words, and found a passage with a different wording.
-----------
In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of the threats, he is reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump. He is just as likely to soil his britches as run screaming into the night.
-----------
Quoted from http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/352585
It seems that the first is a changed version* of the second, but seems to me to be a careless change...
Is the first permissible?
----
The United States is doing its part to help find a diplomatic solution to this problem. However, the solution must be multilateral in conception and execution. North Korea's actions are not a bilateral issue between the United States and North Korea. Rather, they are a problem of vital concern to the entire international community. All NPT parties have a stake in preventing a nuclear-armed North Korea, upholding the global nonproliferation regime and promoting the success of the NPT.
----
Quoted from http://geneva.usmission.gov/press2003/0501NPTsemmel.htm
(in the tenth paragraph)
I think this "they ... a problem" is a different case....right?
I need some comments.
* And is there a better word for "a changed version" which suits this situation?
I had typed "an adaptation" but seemed to be a wrong word.
Best Regards
Top answer
Hi, I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words. -- In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night. --- What confused me is the " they ...
- Hi, I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words.
- -- In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night.
- --- What confused me is the " they ...
- " I think the subject and the object do not agree...
- Out of curiosity, I googled these words, and found a passage with a different wording.
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1 Answers
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Hi,
I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words.
--
In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night.
---
What confused me is the "they ... a
I saw on a Taiwanese BBS a posting in which the poster asked about the translation of the following words.
--
In reality, when confronted with the most trivial of threats, they are reduced to a whimpering, quivering lump; just as likely to soil themselves as they are to run screaming into the night.
---
What confused me is the "they ... a
0
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