long to reign over us

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jasonlulu_2000

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I came across an article with the title of "long to reign over us".What is the part of speech of the word "long"?Can you help me to understand its meaning?Thanks!Jason
 

Mrfatso

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The phrase "Long to reign over us" is part of the British National Anthem.

http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/NationalAnthem.aspx

It signifies a wish that the Monarch reigns the country for a long time.
The Queen Elizabeth the Second has just become the longest ever reigning British Monarch.
It is in this usage an adverb as Piscean has already replied.
 

Matthew Wai

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'Long to reign over us' = 'to reign over us long'.

Is it correct? Not a teacher.
 

Raymott

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It means "to reign over us for a long time." It's an imperative, directed towards God.
"Send her [victorious, happy and glorious] to reign over us for a long time."
 

mawes12

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I thought it meant "want to reign over us". Does it?
 

Matthew Wai

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I think you have made the same mistake as I did in my deleted post above, but I am not a teacher.
 

Tdol

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I thought it meant "want to reign over us". Does it?

No, it doesn't. It means that we want the monarch to reign for a long time.
 

mawes12

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No, it doesn't. It means that we want the monarch to reign for a long time.

Is it trying to say "the queen that we long to reign over us"?
 

mawes12

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To me it acts like a verb. Is it like "long time to reign over us."?
 
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Raymott

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Are you being serious, mawes? You've been told more than enough times what it means.
 

MikeNewYork

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Mawes, are you certain that English is your primary language?
 

Barb_D

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Y'all remember that thread about what "a faint whiff of troll" means? Yeah. I do, too.
 

mawes12

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Did y'all answer the question
Is it like "long time to reign over us."?
? I see different possibilities and I don't act like there is only one answer but I think I'm the only one who think like that here.

Y'all remember that thread about what "a faint whiff of troll" means? Yeah. I do, too.

I thought you said no hijacking or does that help the thread?
 

mawes12

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1. If you're asking if that's my first language, yes that is one of my first languages.

2. I don't understand because I don't know what I did wrong or how I am not helping.
 
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mawes12

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I edited for you, piscean.
 
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MikeNewYork

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mawes12

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mawes12

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What are you feeding? I guess my answer to my question is it is the same. In this forum, I think most teachers think the answer is what they say.
 

MikeNewYork

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The problem is that you make mistakes that native English speakers would not make. Another problem is that you frequently fail to understand the posts of the teachers who try to correct you. You cannot fool us forever. Case in point: "And nobody still hasn't answered my question."
 
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