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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11061 Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 10:54 am Post subject: |
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..or even МЫ as in the original. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 13859 Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Sasha,
Perhaps it's a translation thing, but shouldn't this
"There is no 'you' or 'me'! There is only WE."
be
"There is no 'you' or 'me'! There are only WE."
Regards,
John |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11061 Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Johnslat
Yes, you can read it that way. But in the novel, as I am sure you remember, the characters cannot even conceive of the very pronoun 'I', all traces of individuality having been eliminated from society. So if we are referring to the pronoun 'we', then a singular verb is quite acceptable - there is only 'we' for first person pronouns.
Ah, an ideal yet to come true in the glorious collectivist future...!
Selfless Sasha |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 13859 Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:53 pm Post subject: The Borg is coming, the Borg is coming |
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Dear Sasha,
" . . . the characters cannot even conceive of the very pronoun 'I', all traces of individuality having been eliminated from society."
Hmm, sounds like resistance is futile.
Regards,
John |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11061 Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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... it's... it's beautiful!! |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: The Borg is coming, the Borg is coming |
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johnslat wrote: |
Dear Sasha,
" . . . the characters cannot even conceive of the very pronoun 'I', all traces of individuality having been eliminated from society."
Hmm, sounds like resistance is futile.
Regards,
John |
then why conjugate?
"there be only we" |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 11061 Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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...because there may still be the decidedly piggie 'THEY' floating about. Can't get too complacent - even in the future |
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