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Contraposition Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
What does 'know any better' mean?
While in Japan, I ordered green tea with sugar at a
restaurant. A waiter politely explained that one does not drink
green tea with sugar. I responded that I was aware of this
custom but I liked my tea sweet. The waiter took up the issue
with the manager. After a lengthy conversation, the manager
came over and said, “I’m very sorry. We don’t have sugar.”
Disappointed, I changed my order to a cup of coffee, which
the waiter soon brought over. Resting on the saucer were two
packets of sugar. My failure to obtain a cup of sweet green tea
was due to a fundamental difference in our ideas about choice.
In America, a paying customer has every right to have a
request met. But from a Japanese perspective, it is their duty
to protect those who do not know any better.
restaurant. A waiter politely explained that one does not drink
green tea with sugar. I responded that I was aware of this
custom but I liked my tea sweet. The waiter took up the issue
with the manager. After a lengthy conversation, the manager
came over and said, “I’m very sorry. We don’t have sugar.”
Disappointed, I changed my order to a cup of coffee, which
the waiter soon brought over. Resting on the saucer were two
packets of sugar. My failure to obtain a cup of sweet green tea
was due to a fundamental difference in our ideas about choice.
In America, a paying customer has every right to have a
request met. But from a Japanese perspective, it is their duty
to protect those who do not know any better.
Top answer
What is your question? "Not know any better" does not seem to fit, in my opinion, because as you point out the customer was aware of the custom, so by default he/she "knew," they just didn't want to comply with the custom.
- What is your question?
- "Not know any better" does not seem to fit, in my opinion, because as you point out the customer was aware of the custom, so by default he/she "knew," they just didn't want to comply with the custom.
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3 Answers
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What is your question? "Not know any better" does not seem to fit, in my opinion, because as you point out the customer was aware of the custom, so by default he/she "knew," they just didn't want to comply with the custom.
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contraposition What does 'know any better' mean?'Who do not know the custom'.
(And boy, can I relate to that tale!)
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Parents protect their small children from touching a hot stove because little ones do not know any better.
It means some people are ignorant of what is good, proper, dangerous, etc. and need to be protected by those who do know better.
It means some people are ignorant of what is good, proper, dangerous, etc. and need to be protected by those who do know better.
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