then who's to know

[kingston_123]

Peter is in come and his family thinks that Lucy is loving Peter and Lucy pretends like that because of Peter's grandma has weak heart. Lucy says to his friend, Jerry:

Jerry: And when Peter comes out of the coma, the family will be so happy, they won't care that you lied to them. They'll probably even thank you for it.
Lucy: Okay, what if he doesn't come out of his coma?
Jerry: Well, then who's to know?

What is the meaning of "who's to know"?
Source: While You Were Sleeping (1995) film
Screenplay by: Daniel G. Sullivan & Fredric Lebow

 

[Raymott]

It means "Who is to know?" Does that give you any clues? What do you think it possibly could mean?

 

[kingston_123]

It means "Who is to know?" Does that give you any clues? What do you think it possibly could mean?

Does it simply mean "who knows"?

 

[Raymott]

Well, at least you've had a try.
It means "Who is going to know?"; "Who will know?".
The answer is that, if he doesn't come out of a coma, nobody is ever going to know.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Peter is in a coma, and his family thinks that Lucy is in love with Peter. Lucy pretends to know him because (delete of) Peter's grandma has weak heart. Jerry, Lucy's friend says to her:

Jerry: And when Peter comes out of the coma, the family will be so happy, they won't care that you lied to them. They'll probably even thank you for it.
Lucy: Okay, what if he doesn't come out of his coma?
Jerry: Well, then who's to know?

What is the meaning of "who's to know"?
Source: While You Were Sleeping (1995) film
Screenplay by: Daniel G. Sullivan & Fredric Lebow

If Peter never wakes up, who will know that he and Lucy don't know each other? If Peter doesn't wake up, no one will know. That's who's to know: no one! And that's Jerry's point.

That was a funny movie.

 

[GoesStation]

Peter's grandma has a weak heart.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Peter's grandma has a weak heart.

Yes!

 

[Tdol]

And I would put a comma here:

Jerry, Lucy's friend, says to her

 

[GoesStation]

I'll say it again, Kingston, though I've said it before: you always need a comma or a dash before and after a parenthetical expression like the one at the beginning of this sentence and in the middle of the next one. Please study this topic--I've provided a link to a helpful page above--until you understand this.

 

[Tdol]

This is a case that cries out for a comma to me.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Absolutely. the sentence doesn't make sense without it. Kingston, GoesStation is right. Use commas when you write dependent clauses.