sorkroto
Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Korean
- Home Country
- South Korea
- Current Location
- United States
This is the situation in the book:
The speaker(Bella) is getting married to Edward, and she is secretly jealous of Tanya, who is a magnificent-looking vampire and has liked Edward a long time ago. Tanya's presence at her wedding bothers Bella. Bella thinks her beauty is nothing by comparison to a vampire's beauty.
And this is the sentence that's been driving me insane for hours:
"Though Edward clearly--if inconceivably--preferred me, I wouldn't be able to help making comparisons."
I couldn't understand that blue-colored part. I thought it would be "if conceivably", as if saying "if it's possible, conceivable".
I took the meaning as this: Though Edward obviously loves me(if it's ever conceivable, if it's any possible), I would still be jealous.
I also tried thinking another way. I put "AND" instead of "IF". Though Edward clearly, and inconceivably preferred me, I wouldn't be able to help making comparisons.
I understand the meaning of the sentence from the context, but I am confused about that "if inconceivably". What would the full clause be, if someone could slip in a subject and a verb in between "IF" and "INCONCEIVABLY"? I was wondering if this usage of "if" is just another literary use that I don't know of. Could someone please help me get out of this horrible incomprehension?
The speaker(Bella) is getting married to Edward, and she is secretly jealous of Tanya, who is a magnificent-looking vampire and has liked Edward a long time ago. Tanya's presence at her wedding bothers Bella. Bella thinks her beauty is nothing by comparison to a vampire's beauty.
And this is the sentence that's been driving me insane for hours:
"Though Edward clearly--if inconceivably--preferred me, I wouldn't be able to help making comparisons."
I couldn't understand that blue-colored part. I thought it would be "if conceivably", as if saying "if it's possible, conceivable".
I took the meaning as this: Though Edward obviously loves me(if it's ever conceivable, if it's any possible), I would still be jealous.
I also tried thinking another way. I put "AND" instead of "IF". Though Edward clearly, and inconceivably preferred me, I wouldn't be able to help making comparisons.
I understand the meaning of the sentence from the context, but I am confused about that "if inconceivably". What would the full clause be, if someone could slip in a subject and a verb in between "IF" and "INCONCEIVABLY"? I was wondering if this usage of "if" is just another literary use that I don't know of. Could someone please help me get out of this horrible incomprehension?