Poor Lavinia

[Peethagora]

Lavinia, daughter of Titus Andronicus, had her tongue and hands removed.

Is it correct English to say that her legs are true?

 

[5jj]

I have no idea what you mean by "Her legs are true".

 

[Peethagora]

Perhaps I have not made it clear enough: here is a second example:

She had lost her tongue, and her arms were lacking hands, but her legs were still true.

 

[5jj]

Do you mean that she still had her legs? "Her legs were still true" means nothing..

 

[emsr2d2]

... her legs were still attached to her body.
... her legs were still complete.

I think you need to revise the possible definitions of the word "true".

 

[tedmc]

She had lost her tongue, and her arms were lacking without hands, but her legs were still true intact.

 

[Ostap]

She had lost her tongue, and her arms were lacking without hands, but her legs were still true intact.

What's wrong with "lacking hands" though?

 

[Tarheel]

What's wrong with "lacking hands" though?

I suppose it's okay.

Quite frankly, I don't see the point in saying she still had her legs. I might say:

Her tongue and her hands had been removed.

There is no need to mention her legs.

Did that really happen?

 

[Ostap]

Did that really happen?

In a Shakespeare play, yes.

Quite frankly, I don't see the point in saying she still had her legs. I might say:

Her tongue and her hands had been removed.

There is no need to mention her legs.

Maybe if the reader expects the legs (or feet?) to be removed too (e.g., if it was typical for such practice of maiming) then mentioning the legs makes sense.

 

[tedmc]

There must be a reason for mentioning the legs besides the tongue and arms, and not other parts of the body

 

[Tarheel]

In a Shakespeare play, yes.

Maybe if the reader expects the legs (or feet?) to be removed too (e.g., if it was typical for such practice of maiming) then mentioning the legs makes sense.

Yes, but thank goodness it's not normal.

Saying her legs are still intact is like (to me) saying it's not so bad. She still has her legs. No! It's really really bad.