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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
were I myself
what does that mean? I can't make sense of this phrase:
I've heard it at one of the episodes of the series ‘‘The Originals’’.
‘‘Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you were I, myself, feeling helpful.’’
I've heard it at one of the episodes of the series ‘‘The Originals’’.
‘‘Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you were I, myself, feeling helpful.’’
Top answer
Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you were I, myself, feeling helpful. ~ if I felt helpful. 'myself' intensifies 'I'.
- Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you were I, myself, feeling helpful.
- ~ if I felt helpful.
- 'myself' intensifies 'I'.
- Context might reveal why this was necessary or desirable.
- It seems to make a contrast in a way that suggests that others might have felt helpful, but he did not.
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4 Answers
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Now, I might be inclined to entrust them to you
were I, myself, feeling helpful.
~
if I felt helpful.
'myself' intensifies 'I'. Context might reveal why this was necessary or desirable. It seems to make a contrast in a way that suggests that others might have felt helpful, but he did not.
CJ
were I, myself, feeling helpful.
~
if I felt helpful.
'myself' intensifies 'I'. Context might reveal why this was necessary or desirable. It seems to make a contrast in a way that suggests that others might have felt helpful, but he did not.
CJ
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A little background : He would only give what the girl wanted if she helped him get what he wants. (She wanted the ashes of her dead boyfriend and this guy was the one who had them).But she wasn't willing to help him, that's when he said that.
I think I've understood it: He'd only feel helpful if she did what he wanted.It was a polite/poetic way of saying ‘‘I'll help you if you help me’’
I think I've understood it: He'd only feel helpful if she did what he wanted.It was a polite/poetic way of saying ‘‘I'll help you if you help me’’
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It is the first conditional sentence pattern, not in the normal word order.
These sentences are not necessarily polite, and they are not particularly poetic.
eg.
If I were rich, I might give you this money. (I am not rich.)
If I were you, I wouldn't put my hand in the tiger's cage. (I am not you.)
If I weren't already married, I could marry you. (I am married.)
These sentences are not necessarily polite, and they are not particularly poetic.
eg.
If I were rich, I might give you this money. (I am not rich.)
If I were you, I wouldn't put my hand in the tiger's cage. (I am not you.)
If I weren't already married, I could marry you. (I am married.)
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AnonymousHe'd only feel helpful if she did what he wanted.Yes. That's sounds possible.
AnonymousIt was a polite/poetic way of saying ‘‘I'll help you if you help me’’.No. It's more like a threatening or manipulative way of saying that. It looks to me like he's exerting power and control over her.
CJ
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