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Joined: Jul 2003
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
From an NYT article on today's blackout: In reply to:
"If the economy grows at 3.5 percent a year for the next several years, I would not be surprised if we don't have interruptions on a scale that is not acceptable to most Americans," said Irwin Stelzer
I am lfet genuinely uncertain of just what it is he is trying to say - there are too many negatives for my poorly educated mind to grasp. Would someone care to help?
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065 |
lessee now.
"I wouldn't be surprised if ..." usually means "I expect this to happen."
" y is not acceptable to x" means "x is angry about y".
So,
>>I would not be surprised if we don't have interruptions on a scale that is not acceptable to most Americans
> I expect we will not have interruptions on a scale that most Americans will be angry about.
So, there will be interruptions but most people in the US are not going to be much bothered about them. That's what he said. Whether that is what he meant, or if he did mean it, whether it's true are outside the scope of the question asked.
Bingley
Bingley
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,230 |
I expect we will not have interruptions on a scale that most Americans will be angry about.
Thanks, Bingley. That was my first take, but I was not quite sure.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I couldn't fail to diasagree with you less, Bingley. Just another reason why the emphatic multiple negative is easier to understand than the logical multiple negative. And I don't wanna hafta be telling nobody nutnin about nuthin like this no more! Not nohow!
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11 |
Let this lightweight throw his hat into the ring and
get out before the brawl starts.
I wiil not attempt to think what was intended or whether
it was a case of double speak. However , I think that
the many negatives cufufle the average reader like me.
My humble adjustment would be :
"If the economy grows at 3.5 percent a year for the next several years, I would not be surprised if we .. have interruptions on a scale that ARE not acceptable to most Americans." Exit.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
yah. what they said. peoples is going to get pissed 'cuz there's going to be more [blackouts].
I'm assuming he's talking about blackouts, but I guess I should read the article; I'm a tad confused about how the economy affects power outages.
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
I disagree with most people in the US are not going to be much bothered about them . The first two negatives cancel each other out--that is, that's what I'd mean if I had said this phrase.
"I would not be surprised if we don't" = I somewhat expect that we will have interruptions on a scale that is not acceptable to most Americans". The third negative is unrelated to these first two. So, the guy's saying 'I somewhat expect that we will have interruptions that are big/bad enough that a lot of Americans will be upset about them'.
And, sorry, caram., but I also think in your post, that scale is the actual subject, and should therefore take a singular verb. (I hate to disagree with a fairly new member; but on the other hand, I didn't want to imply that the post wasn't worth commenting about.)
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