Fun Stuff > CHATTER

English is weird

<< < (128/240) > >>

LTK:
Well, if you put the emphasis on 'live' instead of 'allowed' in the first sentence, you could get the same meaning out of it as the second sentence. The crux is two different meanings of 'to live', one is 'to be alive' and the other 'to inhabit'.

Another thing: English is so weird, that "it has what it takes" is not a tautology.

Pilchard123:
Or, it could be taken to mean "He could not move to the Netherlands permanently, but could visit".

Sorflakne:

--- Quote ---Another thing: English is so weird, that "it has what it takes" is not a tautology.
--- End quote ---
Why is it weird that this isn't a tautology (and why would it be such?)?

Tova:
The expression what it takes in this context is intended to mean 'the required attributes.'

But if you take the expression literally, then whatever you take (get into your possession), you must have by definition, and so this is necessarily always true and thus the statement 'it has what it takes' is tautological.

Of course, usually we say 'She/he has what it takes,' not it, but that ruins a good joke, I suppose.

Is it cold in here?:
Starting from childhood to this day I have thought that someone who sews should be called a "sewer".

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page