"then" or "the"...

[szaroczek]

"Self-Reliance" (Ralph Waldo Emerson):

"Great works [...] teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side."

1. So with what actually sort of inflexibility should we abide by our spontaneous impression...? ("good humored") :-(

2. And then in any way I couldn't come to terms with this "then". The only idea which came across my mind was that it was a typo of "the"... Am I crazy or a genius...? :-D


;-)

 

[5jj]

"Great works [...] teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side."

I suspect that if he were to write that today, he might replace 'then most when' with 'precisely at a time when..."

Am I crazy or a genius...?

Don't tempt me! ;-)

 

[szaroczek]

"Don't tempt me! ;-)

Ok. I won't 'cause I feel it would be probably towards "I'm... a GENIUS!!!" and few of my kindred and my acquaintances would get a little bit... confused. :lol: But again how about "good humored inflexibility"? A "Humored" is, I think, sort of PP of the verb "humor" (first encountered in my life in that form :-?) which, according to my dictionary means: "give way to sb." or "indulge". So all together...? :roll:

 

[5jj]

good-humored - definition. American English definition of good-humored by Macmillan Dictionary

 

[szaroczek]

You are embarrassing me, man. :turn-l: whilst I was supposed to be a genius... ;-) But thanks anyway. :up:

 

[konungursvia]

In AmE, it's pretty ordinary to call a chap "man" but all my British teachers at the International School of Brussels found it offensive when the Americans did so....

 

[szaroczek]

Got the massage...

 

[konungursvia]

It's pretty much like using "tu" or "du."

 

[szaroczek]

...? :-?

 

[birdeen's call]

In AmE, it's pretty ordinary to call a chap "man" but all my British teachers at the International School of Brussels found it offensive when the Americans did so....

It seems to be a bit of a problem in English. So many completely incongruent patterns of decorum -- how can a learner know what to say? I remember being called a "young N-word" by a person who wanted to thank me for help here. It made me smile because I knew the person meant no harm, but ingenuousness may not be appreciated by all.

 

[szaroczek]

I don't oppose rebuking me, when necessary; since I'm a "learner" (as "birdeen's call" correctly acknowledged), I also assume making "incongruent patterns of decorum" mistakes. It's only that I don't understand what it is all about this: "It's pretty much like using "tu" or "du."" Have never met those before... :-|

 

[birdeen's call]

I don't oppose rebuking me, when necessary; since I'm a "learner" (as "birdeen's call" correctly acknowledged), I also assume making "incongruent patterns of decorum" mistakes. It's only that I don't understand what it is all about this: "It's pretty much like using "tu" or "du."" Have never met those before... :-|

I must say I'm not sure I understand that either.

I hope you didn't think I was rebuking you. My post was just an observation, probably unnecessary.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Tu" and "du" are the French and German (respectively) informal forms of the word "you".

To be polite and formal in French, you refer to someone as "vous", and in German as "Sie".

 

[szaroczek]

I hope you didn't think I was rebuking you. My post was just an observation, probably unnecessary.

Of course not; on the contrary actually, but again I am totally aware I AM a "learner" and as being a such I also in advance accept being corrected every once in a time - it's part of the "job", it's just what "learners" do - just get "corrected" when necessary, and that's absolutely ok. ;-)

And "emsr2d2" thanks for explaining those "tu" and "du" things; never met those before. :up: