What does 'how' mean?

[blacknomi]

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performanced slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

:?:

 

[Casiopea]

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performanced slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

:?:

Odd sentence. Shouldn't there be a period somewhere? It's kinf of run-on-ish. Also, 'performanced' is a new word for me. Is that how it was written? Lastly, since I can't make out the meaning of the entire array, I'm guessing that "how" refers to "how to do something". :?:

 

[blacknomi]

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performanced slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

:?:

Odd sentence. Shouldn't there be a period somewhere? It's kinf of run-on-ish. Also, 'performanced' is a new word for me. Is that how it was written? Lastly, since I can't make out the meaning of the entire array, I'm guessing that "how" refers to "how to do something". :?:

:0D

True, that's a new word for you! :shock:
Oops. I made a silly typing mistake. It should be 'performed' and there's no period. I still don't get it by the usge of 'how' here. Can I omit it?

 

[Casiopea]

It should be 'performed' and there's no period. I still don't get it by the usge of 'how' here. Can I omit it?

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

Seems like "how" is required (i.e., 'focus on' something). As for what 'how' represents, I still can't make it out because the sentence is a run-on. There are too many subjects: There are two independent clauses and one dependent clause.

bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

By the way, shouldn't 'metalists' be "medalists", with a "d"?

 

[Susie Smith]

It should be 'performed' and there's no period. I still don't get it by the usge of 'how' here. Can I omit it?

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

It sounds better like this.

In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how they wouldn't have won anything if they'd performed slightly worse.

:wink:

 

[blacknomi]

It should be 'performed' and there's no period. I still don't get it by the usge of 'how' here. Can I omit it?

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

It sounds better like this.

In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how they wouldn't have won anything if they'd performed slightly worse.

:wink:

The original sentence was from a famous magazine from Tdol's country.
How about this,
In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how they would have won if they'd performed slightly worse.

I move 2 eye-catching-and-make-me-confused negatives out of the context. Does that have the same meaning like yours?

 

[twostep]

It should be 'performed' and there's no period. I still don't get it by the usge of 'how' here. Can I omit it?

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

It sounds better like this.

In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how they wouldn't have won anything if they'd performed slightly worse.

:wink:

I think you are changing the meaning of the sentence. They do not focus on not having won silver but on what could have cost them bronce. No negative at all.

 

[Casiopea]

How about this,
In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how they would have won if they'd performed slightly worse.

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

Would you have the sentence that comes before that? By the way, '-d' of 'they'd' could also mean 'had'.

...if they had performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

 

[blacknomi]

But research suggests athletes who win bronze medals are actually happier. This is because silver medalists think that if they'd performed slightly better, they might have won the gold medal. In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.


This is the whole context. I know the overall meaning but I don't really get the usage of 'how' here. Is it clearer now?

 

[twostep]

But research suggests athletes who win bronze medals are actually happier. This is because silver medalists think that if they'd performed slightly better, they might have won the gold medal. In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.


This is the whole context. I know the overall meaning but I don't really get the usage of 'how' here. Is it clearer now?

In contrast, bronze metalists focus on how if they'd performanced slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

See it as why but with a more physical appeal.

By the way - that researcher has never won a silver medal. :wink:

 

[blacknomi]

So would it be OK if I replace 'how' with 'why'?


Agreed. I would cry my eyes out. Haha

 

[twostep]

So would it be OK if I replace 'how' with 'why'?


Agreed. I would cry my eyes out. Haha

In a way yes. I think how refers more to strategies, willpower, muscle, expertise ...

 

[bmo]

In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.

:?:

If they had performed slightly worse, how would they have won anything?
How? No way.

If I had scored slightly lower in TOEFL, how would I have been accepted into Yale? How? No way. Yale wanted a high score.

 

[Casiopea]

But research suggests athletes who win bronze medals are actually happier. This is because silver medalists think that if they'd performed slightly better, they might have won the gold medal. In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything.


This is the whole context. I know the overall meaning but I don't really get the usage of 'how' here. Is it clearer now?

Tough one! But I see it now. Thanx.

In contrast, bronze medalists--if they had performed slightly worse-- focus on how (i.e., to what degree or extent) they wouldn't have won anything.

All the best,

 

[bmo]

You are quite welcome.

BMO

 

[Casiopea]

You are quite welcome.

BMO

Sorry? :?:

 

[blacknomi]

You are quite welcome.

BMO

Sorry? :?:

Maybe that's part of BMO's signature. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[bmo]

A mistake.

 

[Casiopea]

A mistake.

Oh. OK. I thought I had missed something or other. Sorry.

Thanks, bmo.

You are always of great help to me.

 

[Domaren]

It looks like you people are tying yourselves up in knots over this.

Firstly, by "period", I assume you mean "full stop". I am constantly dumbfounded as to why Americans felt the need to subsitute a perfectly clear word with only one clear meaning ("full stop") for one which shares its meaning with "a quantity of time", "era" and "menstuation".

Enough on that subject, as catamenia is not required in the sentence and a full stop is only required at its end.

To consider the use of the word "how", we might usefully consider the sentence with a substitute which conveys the same meaning:

"In contrast, bronze medalists focus on the fact that if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything."

One focuses on a "thing". The thing upon which the bronze medalist is focusing on is how he could have lost, in the same way that a prisoner might ask, "how can I escape?" The way that he could have lost was by performing slightly worse.

"if he had performed slightly worse" is not a thing and therefore it cannot be focused upon. Therefore, taking "how" away and leaving nothing in its place would remove the meaning of the sentence.

If anything, "if he had performed slightly worse" could be left out could be left out without turning the sentence into nonsense because it is a secondary clause. To highlight its secondary nature and to clairfy meaning, I would suggest the use of commas as follows:

"In contrast, bronze medalists focus on how, if they'd performed slightly worse, they wouldn't have won anything. "