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Ralph Waldo Emerson

pructus — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:37:25 GMT

When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book we read becomes luminous with manifold allusion. Every sentence is doubly significant, and the sense of our author is as broad as the world. We then see, what is always true, that, as the seerâs hour of vision is short and rare among heavy days and months, so is its record, perchance, the least part of his volume. The discerning will read, in his Plato or Shakspeare, only that least part, - only the authentic utterances of the oracle; - all the rest he rejects, were it never so many times Platoâs and Shakspeareâs.

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles33n/essays-studies-6.shtml

**

Above is fro"The american scholar" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

1. The underlined part, does it mean "as if it were never Platoâs and Shakspeareâs" ?

2. so many times.... Does it mean, "never" ?

Is it possible to use present perfect with "long ago"?

Viceidol — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:31:03 GMT

Hello, everyone:

I know that we don't use present perfect with the phrase like "2 years ago", "one minute ago", but can we use present perfect with "long ago"?

Thank you for answering my question!

New joke..this one is good..;-)

JCDenton — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:39:23 GMT

Hi guys,

Here is another joke for IT guys..:-)))

I went to visit an old friend at a mental asylum, (the pressure as an IT Manager had
gotten too much for him) and I asked the Director what criteria they use to
determine that a patient should be institutionalized.
"Well" said the Director "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a
teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him/her to empty the bathtub".

OK, here's your test.

1. Would you use the teaspoon?
2. Would you use the teacup?
3. Would you use the bucket?

"Oh, I understand" I said "A normal person would use the
bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or teacup".

"No" said the Director, "a normal person would pull the plug!
Do you want a room with or without a view?"
..

Best Regards

JCD

at/in

Evo25 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:52:50 GMT

it make me feel confusing.
i know for places , in should be used such as in malaysia, in singapore,etc
how about these below ?
which sholud be right?
at/in school??
at/on work?

My cover letter!

Sharleenandrea — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:52:51 GMT

Hi everybody! Here is my cover letter: I have to send it to the director of a brokerage firm I knew some months ago; I would want to make it more elegant... Can you help me?
Thank you!!

Dear Mr. ***,

I had the opportunity to attend the meeting you managed last October, during the *** Expo in Milan, on (Name of the company's) certificates, and had the pleasure of speaking with you for a while after the meeting.

My name is *** *** and I am currently completing a nine months internship at (Name of the company), (Name of the division) Division. I am part of the (Name of the team) team, working directly with Senior Brokers and assisting them in their activities.

The reason why I am writing you is that I have a strong interest in markets and investment products, and I would consider a position strictly related to these subjects, especially in a firm like (Name of the company): that is the reason why I would appreciate if you considered my curriculum vitae.

I look forward to hearing from you. Should you have any question, do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

(My name and surname)

Present perfect/simple past in since clause

Viceidol — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:17:59 GMT

Hello, everyone:

I've asked a question in http://www.englishforums.com/English/QuestionAboutTenseUsageSinceClause/gwxpb/post.htm , but I find out there are more than I need to ask, so I think it would be better to write a new post.

Recently I saw several sentences using simple past and present perefect in their since clauses. They are really confusing to me. I really hope you could help me comfirm their meaning. It may be very easy for you, but I've been wondering what their real meanings are for many days and couldn't find a clue. Please take a look at the following sentences:

1. It's a long time since he has lived there.

2. It's a long time since he lived there.

3. It is already 6 years since he have lived in New York.

4. It is already 6 years since he lived in New York.

I think those four sentences suggest "He doesn't live here/in New York now.", right? If my understanding is true, then please see the next pairs of sentences:

5. She has written to me frequently since I have been ill. (Does it suggest "I am still ill now"? If not, what does it suggest?)

6. She has written to me frequently since I was ill. (Does it suggest "I am not ill now."? If not, what does it suggest?)

If my understandings about sentence 5, 6 are right, then I think that's very tricky. Because sentence 1 and 3, which also use "have done" in their since clauses, suggest the same as sentence 2 and 4, which use simple past in their since clauses. However, although sentence 5 also uses "have done" in its since clause like sentence 1 and 3 do, sentence 5 does not suggest the same thing as sentence 6 does. Why is that? Is it because sentence 1, 2, 3, 4 use "It is + a period of time" structure? If so, I would be very amazed that simply a minor change like this would completely change the meaning of "have done" in the since clause. What do you think?

Here are some similar pairs of sentences:

7. Since she has been at Beijing University, it has gone through great changes. (I think it suggests "She is still at Beijing University now", am I right? If not, what does it suggest?)

8. Since she was at Beijing University, it has gone through great changes. (I think it suggests "She is not at Beijing University now", am I right? If not, what does it suggest?)

9. It's already 5 years since he has been in the army.

10. It's already 5 years since he was in the army.

I think sentence 9 and 10 both suggest "He is not in the army now", am I right? (Because "It is + a period of time" structure is used in the main clauses.) If not, what does it suggest?

11. They have been happy since they have lived in London. (I think it suggests "They still lives in London now", am I right? If not, what does it suggest?)

12. They have been happy since they lived in London. (I think it suggests "They don't live in London now", am I right? If not, what does it suggest?)

13. It's a long time since they have lived in London.

14. It's a long time since they lived in London.

I think sentence 13 and 14 both suggest "They don't live in London now", am I right? (Because "It is + a period of time" structure is used in the main clauses.) If not, what does it suggest?

I know those questions might be a piece of cake for native speakers, but they're totally confusing to me. I've searched all my grammar books for the answer but couldn't find one. I would appreciate it if you could help me solve my doubt. Thank you for reading this post!!

US intervention

New2grammar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:05:32 GMT

I wonder why the US spend so much energy, time and money in countries like Israel, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan and Iraq. What does it gain from intervening in those countries' politics? Please, no hateful messages. I'm curious about it. I would appreciate American and international replies.

Realties, Properties, Estaties, Premises

Armsys — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:51:23 GMT

What're the differences between Realties, Properties, Estates, and Premises?
Thanks.
Armstrong

INCREMENT LETTER FOR EMPLOYEE

meenakshi7 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:14:56 GMT

HI I AM A HR EXECUTIVE

AN EMPLOYEE HAS COMPLETED HIS PROBATION PERIOD NOW I HAVE TO GIVE A INCREMENT LETTER TO HIM
KINDLY HELP IWRITTING A BEST LETTER.

THANKS

Please help me with this sentence...

JCDenton — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:29:30 GMT

Hi guys,

Can you please help me with the next sentence?

Context: FBI agent wants to calm down the parents of the kid, which was kidnapped by the sex offender.

(agent) : There are some reasons to be hopeful.
(mother of the kidnapped kid) : What reasons?

(agent) : The fact that this man bothered to change your son's appearance to dies his hair, to cut it. It shows that he's formed some kind of bound
with him. As disturbing as that is to hear, that works in our favor.

Please guys, can you please paraphrase that sentence for me ?

many thanks

Best Regards

JCD

double meaning

wholegrain — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:32:04 GMT

Double meaning

Can a given word have two different meaning in the same sentence?

Whaling is endangering whales and is a endangered specie. Ok, I guess we can't in this case. Well, I would use it, but probably people will tell me it's not for being too awkward and confusing.

The White House is competent, and a beautiful landmark.

The White House as the personnel first and as a landmark then...

Can you give other examples if only the second one is correct to illustrate why?

Any syntax problem with these?

HuaMin Chen — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:10:07 GMT

Our colleague - May, is now proceeding to have that. Thanks.

Is there an example, from which it calls another page, once one OnClicked event has been fired within the page?

Are there any comparative marketing figures for their popularity?

Is that due to that I'm using SQL server express version (2008)?

We confirmed last time that the migration was postponed to 1.5 patches in your site. Pls update us the status since we need to work on V1.6.

<<Edited to remove the bold pink, which was VERY hard on the eyes>>

Inquiry and Enquiry, Query and Question

Korsav — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 19:12:05 GMT

Inquiry and Enquiry, Query and Question. The difference?

Invitation Letter to UK,

Jaberdene — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 14:58:35 GMT

Hi all

I have been studying in England for 3 years. Recently, Ive enrolled a college and will study until 2010 in UK. My wife and son still live in my country . I would like to bring them and live together with my family here for next 3 years. So I have to write a letter to UK embassy in my country

Can any one help me how to write the letter? any form of letter. Please?

Thanks in advance

JE,

Until

Liveinjapan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:16:48 GMT

I had to wait until it had stopped biting.

I had to wait until it stopped biting.

If there's any difference between the two sentences, could you tell me please?

If it were only for a vocabulary,

pructus — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:16:39 GMT

Of course, he who has put forth his total strength in fit actions has the richest return of wisdom. I will not shut myself out of this globe of action, and transplant an oak into a flower-pot, there to hunger and pine; nor trust the revenue of some single faculty, and exhaust one vein of thought, much like those Savoyards, who, getting their livelihood by carving shepherds, shepherdesses, and smoking Dutchmen, for all Europe, went out one day to the mountain to find stock, and discovered that they had whittled up the last of their pine-trees. Authors we have, in numbers, who have written out their vein, and who, moved by a commendable prudence, sail for Greece or Palestine, follow the trapper into the prairie, or ramble round Algiers, to replenish their merchantable stock.

If it were only for a vocabulary, the scholar would be covetous of action. Life is our dictionary. Years are well spent in country labors; in town; in the insight into trades and manufactures; in frank intercourse with many men and women; in science; in art; to the one end of mastering in all their facts a language by which to illustrate and embody our perceptions. I learn immediately from any speaker how much he has already lived, through the poverty or the splendor of his speech. Life lies behind us as the quarry from whence we get tiles and copestones for the masonry of to-day. This is the way to learn grammar. Colleges and books only copy the language which the field and the work-yard made.

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles33n/essays-studies-6.shtml

**

The underlined part is difficult.

What should this "If it were only for a vocabulary," mean?

Does it mean, "What the scholar has to do something about is only vocabulary, not real action"?

skull cap

New2grammar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:16:33 GMT

http://images.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cyclexpress.co.uk/dbimgs/skullcap.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cyclexpress.co.uk/Products/Altura_Skullcap.aspx&h=295&w=300&sz=37&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=_FkwdD6FHqDtCM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dskull%2Bcap%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://store.evilmotion.com/images/knithat.jpg

Do you call them skull cap?
Thanks.

WHO I'VE PLANNED MY LIFE AROUND

Stevenukd — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Dear Teachers,

1. This is a girl who I've planned my life around from now on, and I wanted to marry her one day and have children with her.

- "This is a girl who I've planned my life around" in this situation means "This is a girl who I've planned to spend the rest of my life with", correct?

Thanks very much to Teachers,

Stevenukd.

cattle vs fish

New2grammar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:55:35 GMT

I'm lost again on countable vs uncountable.

There are a lot of fish in the river.
Cattle are a source of meat.
Fish is/are a source of protein. (I feel 'is' is better but it doesn't follow the cattle pattern )

What do you think?
Thanks.

Hello Everybody

mr.harm — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:39:12 GMT

I'm Mohamed Abdalla. I'm Sudanese. I want to make friends.

those moments

Taka — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:28:46 GMT

One beautiful February day, Mum died, and my life as an orphan began. Or so I thought.

We stuck together through the wake. Dad, my sister, my three brothers and I. All of us shone throughÂ those moments.

What does the 'those' in bold refer to? 'The good old days'? Or does it refer to the wake?

tight on staffing

New2grammar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:16:14 GMT

We're tight on staffing.

What's the meaning of tight on staffing? Could you help me picture how the word tight fits in staffing. I can't imagine how they fit together.

Thanks.

fell more than twice

New2grammar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:49:02 GMT

The profits of our company fell more than twice those of the industry average in the first half of this year.

Is the above corect and natural? If not, please suggest a correction.
Thanks.

"sign" with "s"

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:33:06 GMT

Do I put "s" or nothing on "sign?" Thank you

If he signs it. or If he signed it.

fruit are?

changeling — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:27:53 GMT

Hi everybody!

Could you, please, check my grammar in the following sentence:

Fresh fruit are what makes this dessert figure-friendly

Thanks in advance