Taka  +  189498 Fri, 27 Jan 06 04:29 PM Please correct the composition below so it sounds natural. Admitting honestly that you don't know simply means that you shouldn't go ahead without thinking about what you really don't understand. If it sounds natural as itself, then that's fine. Taka Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004 Japan Senior Member 2,625

	rvw  +  189630 Fri, 27 Jan 06 07:30 PM I would omit honestly, since if one falsely "admits" something, he or she is pretending, not admitting it. rvw Joined on Sun, Nov 28 2004 Woodstock, Georgia, USA Full Member 350

	Clive  +  189719 Fri, 27 Jan 06 10:55 PM Hi Taka, Admitting honestly that you don't know simply means that you shouldn't go ahead without thinking about what you really don't understand. It consists of a lot of busy thoughts piled into one sentence. It's a bit hard to understand on one reading because of the three negatives. As previously noted, 'admitting honestly' seems a bit redundant. In other words, I think it sounds perfectly natural! Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,575 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Negatives

	MrPedantic  +  189777 Sat, 28 Jan 06 01:53 AM Hello Taka It's an interesting construction, but a little opaque. And I'm not sure how "admitting something" can mean that you "shouldn't do something else". Is the intended sense: "it's better to admit your ignorance, than to rush into something you don't understand"? MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Constructions

	Taka  +  189804 Sat, 28 Jan 06 04:02 AM  MrPedantic wrote: Is the intended sense: "it's better to admit your ignorance, than to rush into something you don't understand"? Yes. That is the intended sense. I just tried to translate faithfully the sentence originally written in Japanese so my students understand the conversion. If I didn't have to worry about my students, I would translate it more simply, like: Knowing what you know and what you don't. That's what intellectual honesty is all about. Anyway, thank you, everyone! Taka