imchongjun
Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2007
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Japanese
- Home Country
- Japan
- Current Location
- Japan
Hello, teachers.
Would you explain to me the usage of "have" in the following passage?
(When Mexicans have a guest, it is their custom to say "this house is yours". Ruggles, a traveller from the US, once visited the speaker's grandfather who had a precious historical record (diary), and asked for it)
My grandfather was very sad, but he thought he could do nothing else but present the diary to Ruggles. He thought Ruggles would do the same thing in the same circumstances. My mother says he would not have.
I do not understand the last sentence: "My mother says he would not have". It seems to me to mean "My mother says that he (=Ruggles) would not let that happen (=give back the diary)" but I am not sure whether the word "have" has such a meaning like "let something happen".
Would you explain to me the usage of "have" in the following passage?
(When Mexicans have a guest, it is their custom to say "this house is yours". Ruggles, a traveller from the US, once visited the speaker's grandfather who had a precious historical record (diary), and asked for it)
My grandfather was very sad, but he thought he could do nothing else but present the diary to Ruggles. He thought Ruggles would do the same thing in the same circumstances. My mother says he would not have.
I do not understand the last sentence: "My mother says he would not have". It seems to me to mean "My mother says that he (=Ruggles) would not let that happen (=give back the diary)" but I am not sure whether the word "have" has such a meaning like "let something happen".