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Reegis Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Vitamin C is supposed to prevent colds.

Hello.

Please let's have a look at the sentence below:

Vitamin C is supposed to prevent colds.

Based only on the grammar (without biology), is it possible to recognize what is the intended meaning of 'supposed' here? Does it mean 'required/expected' or rather 'alleged'?
  

Top answer

Reegis is it possible to recognize what is the intended meaning of 'supposed' here? When a word has multiple meanings, there are only two ways to detect which meaning applies: syntax and context. For example, the word "record" has meanings as a verb or a noun.

— AlpheccaStars

  • Reegis is it possible to recognize what is the intended meaning of 'supposed' here?
  • When a word has multiple meanings, there are only two ways to detect which meaning applies: syntax and context.
  • For example, the word "record" has meanings as a verb or a noun.
  • He recorded his thoughts.
  • (verb, clear meaning) He has a record.
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7 Answers
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Reegisis it possible to recognize what is the intended meaning of 'supposed' here?
When a word has multiple meanings, there are only two ways to detect which meaning applies: syntax and context.

For example, the word "record" has meanings as a verb or a noun.
He recorded his thoughts. (verb, clear meaning)
He has a record. (noun, ambiguous mea
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Reegis Does it mean 'required/expected' or rather 'alleged'?
alleged

It is alleged to prevent colds.

Another way of saying this is "They say that vitamin C prevents colds", where "they" is that vague idea of "those people who are supposed to know these things".
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ReegisBased only on the grammar (without biology), is it possible to recognize what is the intended meaning of 'supposed' here? Does it mean 'required/expected' or rather 'alleged'?
There is no ambiguity for most native speakers. They use common sense. You cannot require a vitamin to do anything, so that interpretation is simply not possible.
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I see. Thanks AlpheccaStars, CalifJim and fivejedjon for your help.
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AlpheccaStarsHe recorded his thoughts. (verb, clear meaning)
He has a record. (noun, ambiguous meaning.)
In order to consolidate my knowledge I am reviewing my topics on this forum and these your words caught my attention, AlpheccaStars
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ReegisWhy did you write "verb" and "noun" instead of "a/the verb" and "a/the noun" above? It was a long time ago when I noticed for the first time that people sometimes omit articles when making comments in brackets but I can't find any rule explaining this...
For example, the word "record" has meanings as a verb or a noun.
He recorded his though
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Ahh, I see now - in such situations you purposefully use headlinese. So it seems it is quite common custom:)
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