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Disturbing

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CrystalStart

CrystalStart

IS-IT--Management
Feb 3, 2005
185
US
Something is bothering me about this "syntax" but I can't say what exactly:
"I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart"
 
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The first confusing aspect is the change in number.

The subject of the sentence is singular ("I'm living so", "my income"), but the predicate is plural ("that we may").

We are living so far beyond our means that we may almost be said to be living apart.

The second aspect ...

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Upon further review, I take back my previous post. "We" is supposed to be referring to the pair, "my income" and "I". That's not the problem, although with apologies to e.e cummings, it's awkward.



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I didn't have trouble understanding what author was trying to say, and the grammar seems to be acceptable within reason.

The main problem of this sentence is that the author was trying too hard to make it look "cute and witty", thus the clumsiness of the construction.
 
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The problem I see is the pairing. A living person and an abstract form of payment for services.

It requires some understanding of the feeling of being broke to clue you in. Perhaps that is Santa's problem, too much money. I know, sad humor. I'll make it up next time I'm in Midvale.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
 
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SantaMufasa,

As CC alluded to, this is a quote from e.e. cummings, a poet well known for his rejecting many 'rules' of English.

The 'we' in the quote is meant as me and my income. (I'm) living so far beyond (my income) that we (my income and I) may almost be said to be living apart".

[tt]-John[/tt]
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So Cumming just what? wrote as he wished and that was it?
I bet his Last name was Comming and he just wrote it as Cumming to bug people(joke)
 
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Thanks, John. Wouldn't "E.E." have been so much more precise and understandable had he avoided weak, passive voice and stilted construction:

"I'm living so far beyond my income that my income and I are living apart." [wink]

[santa]Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)

Do you use Oracle and live or work in Utah, USA?
Then click here to join Utah Oracle Users Group on Tek-Tips.
 
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SantaMufasa - e.e. cummings never capitalized anything, and if he obeyed other rules of english, then he wouldn't be e.e. cummings.

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CrystalStart,

e.e. cummings certainly took liberties with the language, but in a way that only a genius could.

Read some of his poems here.

(I should warn you: his writings are not to be used as an example for someone who is still learning English!)

[tt]-John[/tt]
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Thanks but no thanks, I don't care much for poetry in a normal way but that one is just not cutting :-D
 
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[spin2](-:
This is a good one! Actually, I think the syntax is perfectly correct. Although the second part sounds a bit strange to me.
Instead of
"I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart"
I would have preferred:
"I'm living so far beyond my income that one could consider us living apart"
Or sort of the like.

I think it is the mere meaning of the sentence, that is confusing. One cannot live "apart from" his income. Just beyond his means.
Anyway: I'll assimilate it into my collection of aphorisms.
[reading]

[blue]An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. - "Mahatma" Mohandas K. Gandhi[/blue]
 
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