Atarion's questions about English

Ask specific questions about your target languages. Beginner questions welcome!
Atarion
White Belt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:47 am
Languages: russian english
x 2

Atarion's questions about English

Postby Atarion » Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:50 am

"Perhaps I shall try harder for the next few centuries to revive my beloved wood."
in this sentence is his mean that he MUST to try BETTER or is he mean that he WILL try to do that?
0 x

User avatar
Adrianslont
Blue Belt
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:39 am
Location: Australia
Languages: English (N), Learning Indonesian and French
x 1936

Re: context of shall

Postby Adrianslont » Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:52 am

Atarion wrote:"Perhaps I shall try harder for the next few centuries to revive my beloved wood."
in this sentence is his mean that he MUST to try BETTER or is he mean that he WILL try to do that?

Will
1 x

Atarion
White Belt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:47 am
Languages: russian english
x 2

Re: context of shall

Postby Atarion » Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:57 am

thank you but can you explain why exactly this meaning? the root of sense in grammar or in context?
and if WILL than try better= try only? because we do not compare or graduate any force of trying?
0 x

Atarion
White Belt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:47 am
Languages: russian english
x 2

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby Atarion » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:21 am

I don't like this. I am talking about moving into individial theme. Why you do that? I don't asked for!
0 x

User avatar
Serpent
Black Belt - 3rd Dan
Posts: 3657
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:54 am
Location: Moskova
Languages: heritage
Russian (native); Belarusian, Polish

fluent or close: Finnish (certified C1), English; Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian
learning: Croatian+, Ukrainian; Romanian, Galician; Danish, Swedish; Estonian
exploring: Latin, Karelian, Catalan, Dutch, Czech, Latvian
x 5179
Contact:

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby Serpent » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:24 am

Hello, Atarion!
This is your third thread about various nuances of English. I've renamed it "Atarion's questions about English" and moved it to the "practical questions" subforum. Please ask any further questions here. Feel free to edit the title as long as it reflects the purpose of this thread (ie don't change the title every time you ask about a new expression).
We can move this thread to the log subforum if you want.

As for this specific question, it would help to clarify where this comes from. As far as I understand, "shall" used to be more neutral in the past, especially in British English. Nowadays it has indeed gained a modal meaning.

edit: oops, I should've posted my explanation sooner ;)
0 x
LyricsTraining now has Finnish and Polish :)
Corrections welcome

Atarion
White Belt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:47 am
Languages: russian english
x 2

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby Atarion » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:47 am

thanks
hm you have very intresting english-style in your expressions and what is your native country? I mean country where you born.
0 x

User avatar
Adrianslont
Blue Belt
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2015 10:39 am
Location: Australia
Languages: English (N), Learning Indonesian and French
x 1936

Re: context of shall

Postby Adrianslont » Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:31 pm

Atarion wrote:thank you but can you explain why exactly this meaning? the root of sense in grammar or in context?
and if WILL than try better= try only? because we do not compare or graduate any force of trying?

Will = shall
Harder = better - but you can’t directly replace “harder” with “better” in this sentence because it doesn’t really collocate with “try”
0 x

Atarion
White Belt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:47 am
Languages: russian english
x 2

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby Atarion » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:44 am

sorry it seems my fault. The sense was oblivous from that point. but thanks
0 x

User avatar
Serpent
Black Belt - 3rd Dan
Posts: 3657
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:54 am
Location: Moskova
Languages: heritage
Russian (native); Belarusian, Polish

fluent or close: Finnish (certified C1), English; Portuguese, Spanish, German, Italian
learning: Croatian+, Ukrainian; Romanian, Galician; Danish, Swedish; Estonian
exploring: Latin, Karelian, Catalan, Dutch, Czech, Latvian
x 5179
Contact:

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby Serpent » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:28 pm

Atarion wrote:hm you have very intresting english-style in your expressions and what is your native country? I mean country where you born.

I replied in my log btw :) It's great if you want to interact with forum members, but please use this thread only for asking questions about English expressions, grammar etc.
0 x
LyricsTraining now has Finnish and Polish :)
Corrections welcome

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
x 7030
Contact:

Re: Atarion's questions about English

Postby zenmonkey » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:56 pm

Atarion wrote:"Perhaps I shall try harder for the next few centuries to revive my beloved wood."
in this sentence is his mean that he MUST to try BETTER or is he mean that he WILL try to do that?


Perhaps = Maybe

Maybe he will try harder in the future.

"Perhaps I shall" is an imagined or wished for future.
1 x
I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar


Return to “Practical Questions and Advice”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: mightymos88 and 2 guests