szaroczek
Junior Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Polish
- Home Country
- Poland
- Current Location
- Iceland
"Young Goodman Brown" (Nathaniel Hawthorn):
"..., as if all Nature were laughing him to scorn."
Except the fact the "Nature" is a singular none so it probably more likely "was" than "were laughing" (which often happens in Hawthorn writing ;-)), but that phrase "to laugh sb. to scorn"...? I think I get the main sens of it (unless I'm wrong) - "... was laughing him in scorn", yet
first - do I understand the meaning correctly?,
second - if not, what does it actually mean?,
third - is it a construct you could call a "contemporary English one"? Thank you
"..., as if all Nature were laughing him to scorn."
Except the fact the "Nature" is a singular none so it probably more likely "was" than "were laughing" (which often happens in Hawthorn writing ;-)), but that phrase "to laugh sb. to scorn"...? I think I get the main sens of it (unless I'm wrong) - "... was laughing him in scorn", yet
first - do I understand the meaning correctly?,
second - if not, what does it actually mean?,
third - is it a construct you could call a "contemporary English one"? Thank you