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hereinbeijing
Joined: 24 Dec 2007
Posts: 101
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 Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:03 am Post subject: grammar question: Honesty is the foundation of a happy... |
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What is the meaning of "foundation" and "basis" in the following sentence: Honesty is the foundation / basis of a happy marriage?
I think the meaning of both words is " something that is essential to an idea, belief, etc."
I want to thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my question. |
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BigWally
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 765
Location: Ottawa, CAN (prev. Kaohsiung "the Dirty South")
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| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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You are correct in your meaning.
It is similar to the way the word is used when referring to building a house.
To build a house, you must first make a foundation.
The foundation is what everything is built upon. Without the foundation, nothing could be built on it.
Basis, in this context, means the same.
So your example, "Honesty is the foundation of a happy marriage"
This means, that if there was no honesty between the husband and wife, then the marriage would not be happy. |
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El Chupacabra
Joined: 22 Jul 2009
Posts: 378
Location: Kwangchow
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| Too much honesty will destroy any marriage, however. Now how is this also a grammar question? |
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