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  #1  
Old 04-Jul-2009, 08:03
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Default A Sentence from "Anna Karenina"

Dear Teacher,

The sentence "Do you suppose I could help knowing?" has been translated in the unabridged Turkish version of the subject book in the meaning "Do you think I do not know?".

Does the "can/could help gerund" structure always work similarly?

Source:
Anna Karenina : Part Two. : Chapter 3 by Leo Tolstoy @ Classic Reader (The tenth line from top)

Regards
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Old 04-Jul-2009, 16:27
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Default Re: A Sentence from "Anna Karenina"

It means that it was impossible for the person not to know to me.
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Old 04-Jul-2009, 17:34
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Default Re: A Sentence from "Anna Karenina"

Quote:
Originally Posted by honore View Post
dear teacher,

the sentence "do you suppose i could help knowing?" has been translated in the unabridged turkish version of the subject book in the meaning "do you think i do not know?".

it's not a good translation. (either the russian to turkish, or your turkish to english).
There is certainly a difference in meaning between:
"i knew it" and "i couldn't help knowing it"

does the "can/could help gerund" structure always work similarly?
the positive phrase " ... I could help <verb>ing" is not as common as the negative " ... I couldn't help <verbing>ing"


regards
r.
PS: Please disregard the mangled capitalisation: I'm working on it.
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Old 06-Jul-2009, 02:58
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Default Re: A Sentence from "Anna Karenina"

I agree, it probably should be "How could I not have known?"
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