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Robert Bannister
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:08 am
Post subject: Re: as long as |
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Jim Lawton wrote:
| Quote: | On 6 Oct 2005 00:56:20 -0700, "Troy Steadman" <troysteadman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
Jim Lawton wrote:
On Wed, 5 Oct 2005 23:39:58 -0400, "TakenEvent"
lightbulbsnickety@chartermi.net> wrote:
According to MWCD, the expression "as long as" (var. "so long as" -- meaning
"provided that"/ "since")
"Since"? There's strange. I can't think of an example where that meaning is
used.
--
Jim
the polymoth
As long as you will be there...
Provided you will be there...
Since you will be there...
Oh, yes, I was fixated on the temporal meaning of "since".
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Even so, "provided that" seems closer to the meaning than "because". I'm
not sure about "seeing that".
--
Rob Bannister |
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Robert Bannister
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:16 am
Post subject: Re: as long as |
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K. Edgcombe wrote:
| Quote: | In article <1h40gcv.1jlcjct1n0r9dsN%trio@euronet.nl>,
Donna Richoux <trio@euronet.nl> wrote:
You're right, the meaning is not intuitively obvious. Maybe someone with
an OED will quote us early uses that may happen to show how it evolved.
I suspect it's the "long" that has to do with time, such as "as long as
I've been here," but not directly.
OED says:
b. In the comparative and superlative, or preceded by advs. of comparison (as,
how, so, thus, too, etc.), the adv. indicates amount of relative duration. (Cf.
LONG a. 8.) so (or as) long as: often nearly equivalent to .provided that., .if
only.. Also, long as, ellipt. for so (or as) long as.
It doesn't have any quotes for "as long as" that are not pretty directly
related to duration:
1846 BROWNING Lost Mistress v, I will hold your hand but as long as all may, Or
so very little longer
There is one for "so long as" not obviously relating to duration:
1887 L. CARROLL Game of Logic Pref., Is there any great harm in that, so long
as you get plenty of amusement?
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You might not remember "I'll get by, so long as I have you".
--
Rob Bannister |
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Skitt
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:38 am
Post subject: Re: as long as |
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Robert Bannister wrote:
| Quote: | K. Edgcombe wrote:
Donna Richoux wrote:
You're right, the meaning is not intuitively obvious. Maybe
someone with an OED will quote us early uses that may happen to
show how it evolved. I suspect it's the "long" that has to do with
time, such as "as long as I've been here," but not directly.
OED says:
b. In the comparative and superlative, or preceded by advs. of
comparison (as, how, so, thus, too, etc.), the adv. indicates amount
of relative duration. (Cf. LONG a. 8.) so (or as) long as: often
nearly equivalent to .provided that., .if only.. Also, long as,
ellipt. for so (or as) long as.
It doesn't have any quotes for "as long as" that are not pretty
directly related to duration:
1846 BROWNING Lost Mistress v, I will hold your hand but as long as
all may, Or so very little longer
There is one for "so long as" not obviously relating to duration:
1887 L. CARROLL Game of Logic Pref., Is there any great harm in
that, so long as you get plenty of amusement?
You might not remember "I'll get by, so long as I have you".
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I remember, and it was:
I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
Though there be rain
And darkness too
I'll not complain
I'll see it through
Though I may
Be far away
It's true
Say, what care I
Dear, I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
No "so long as".
--
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/ |
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Robert Bannister
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:33 am
Post subject: Re: as long as |
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Skitt wrote:
| Quote: | Robert Bannister wrote:
You might not remember "I'll get by, so long as I have you".
I remember, and it was:
I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
Though there be rain
And darkness too
I'll not complain
I'll see it through
Though I may
Be far away
It's true
Say, what care I
Dear, I'll get by
As long as I
Have you
No "so long as".
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Just shows I didn't remember, but I've got the tune stuck in my head now.
--
Rob Bannister |
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