to his credit ...

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unpakwon

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The following in red is confusing. Would you please paraphrase it more easily?

He called her into the library and began teaching her the letters of the alphabet. A few evenings later he put his hand over hers as it grasped the quill, and showed her how to form the letters. For a long time after that he taught her, and to his credit let it be recorded that he did a very good job. There is one specimen of her handwriting still in existence, and it shows that she wrote with a bold, self-confident flourish.

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SoothingDave

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"To his credit" means it is something that he is being commended for, recognized for.
 

unpakwon

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"To his credit" means it is something that he is being commended for, recognized for.


Thank you for the answer.

Could I rewrite it as follows?

"After that he taught her for a long time, and it (that he taught her) is something that he is recognized for."
 

emsr2d2

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Thank you for the answer.

Could I rewrite it as follows?

"After that he taught her for a long time, and it (that he taught her) is something that he is recognized for."

No. He is not recognised for the fact that he taught her. He is recognised for the fact that he did a very good job of teaching her.
 

SoothingDave

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The sentence doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm not sure why "he let it be recorded that he did a good job" is something that requires extraordinary credit. People usually like to have it be known that they do a good job.
 

emsr2d2

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The sentence doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm not sure why "he let it be recorded that he did a good job" is something that requires extraordinary credit. People usually like to have it be known that they do a good job.

It doesn't say "he ​let it be recorded". It just says "[to his credit] let it be recorded ..."
 

SoothingDave

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It doesn't say "he ​let it be recorded". It just says "[to his credit] let it be recorded ..."

That's how I read it, but I see now that it was intended differently.
 

emsr2d2

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For the benefit of the learners: "let it be recorded" = "We would like it to be recorded that".
 
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