Difference between revisions of "Can"

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(periphrastics)
(Usage difference between can & can't to express probability)
 
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==noun==
 
==noun==
[[File:Warhol exhibition.jpg|thumb|Soupcan pillars:  Royal Scottish Academy, 20th anniversary of Warhol's death, Tom Rolfe, 8.7. 2007]]
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[[File:Warhol exhibition.jpg|thumb|Soupcan pillars:  Royal Scottish Academy, 20th anniversary of Warhol's death, Tom Rolfe, 8.7.2007]]
 
The noun <span style="color:#031;font-size:75%;">/naʊn/</span> pronounced /<span style="color:#031;">kæ̃nz</span>/ ('''cans''') refers to what in French are called ''boîtes de conserve''.  Go figure. :) English "boxes" refer to many things, but not to cylinders.  It was a Frenchman, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Appert Nicolas Appert], who invented the process of canning, which helped provision Napoleonic troops in the War of 1812.
 
The noun <span style="color:#031;font-size:75%;">/naʊn/</span> pronounced /<span style="color:#031;">kæ̃nz</span>/ ('''cans''') refers to what in French are called ''boîtes de conserve''.  Go figure. :) English "boxes" refer to many things, but not to cylinders.  It was a Frenchman, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Appert Nicolas Appert], who invented the process of canning, which helped provision Napoleonic troops in the War of 1812.
  
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*Pronounced most often in its weak form:  /<span style="color:#031;">kn</span>/ or /<span style="color:#031;">kən</span>/.
 
*Pronounced most often in its weak form:  /<span style="color:#031;">kn</span>/ or /<span style="color:#031;">kən</span>/.
 
*The strong form is /<span style="color:#031;">kæ̃n</span>/ (The tilda over the ae symbol means it is nasalized:  Parlez-vous <span style="color:#031;">kwæ̃kwæ̃</span>?)  (Cf. la voyelle française de "ben", si aigu au Canada: <span style="color:#031;">bɛ̃</span>)
 
*The strong form is /<span style="color:#031;">kæ̃n</span>/ (The tilda over the ae symbol means it is nasalized:  Parlez-vous <span style="color:#031;">kwæ̃kwæ̃</span>?)  (Cf. la voyelle française de "ben", si aigu au Canada: <span style="color:#031;">bɛ̃</span>)
*The negative contraction can't is pronounced <span style="color:#031;">kæ̃t</span> in American English.
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*The negative contraction '''can't''' is pronounced <span style="color:#031;">kæ̃t</span> in American English.
===meaning (semantics)===
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===etymology===
A little history and comparison is helpful here.  German ''kennen'' and French ''connaître'' (to be acquainted with), like English ''know'' and Greek ''gnosis'' all have the same root sounds.  One possible synonym of "can" is "know how to".  (Manon ''can't'' cook, but she ''does know how to'' sing opera.)
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A little history and comparison is helpful here.  German ''kennen'' and French ''connaître'' (to be acquainted with), like English ''know'' and Greek ''gnosis'' all have the same root sounds.   
  
''Can'' indicates possibility, ''cannot'' or ''can't'' impossibility.
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One possible synonym / periphrastic of ''can'' is ''know how to''
''Can'' is also linked to ability, capability
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:<span style="color:#302;">Manon ''can't'' cook, but she ''does know how to'' sing opera.</span>
  
 
===periphrastics===
 
===periphrastics===
One of the most important periphrastics in English is '''be able to'''.
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One of the most important/frequent periphrastics in English is '''be able to'''. <span style="color:#033;">bɪ<sup>j</sup>eɪbəltə</span>
  
In both the future and the past (and the conditional <span style="font-size:70%;">or "future of the past"</span>) "be able to" is used.
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''Can'' is used in the present tense only, though it can refer to the future (which is not a tense)
 +
*I can come ''tomorrow''.
 +
*I can't be there ''next week''.
  
 +
It is possible, but not necessary to use ''will be able to'' instead of ''can'' to speak of the future.
 +
*I'll be able to come tomorrow.
 +
*I won't be able to be there next week.
 +
 +
''Could'' can also be used for a hypothetical future.  However, strangely, ''couldn't'' cannot be used for a negative hypothetical future.
 +
*I could come to your office once the lockdown ends.
 +
*<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't come to your office once the lockdown ends.</s>
 +
*I could send it to you by email.  (if you would like)
 +
*<s style="color:#999;">I couldn't send it to you by email.</s> <-- necessarily interpreted as the past tense (''je ne pouvais pas te l'envoyer par mél.'')
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 +
In the past (and the conditional <span style="font-size:70%;">or "future of the past"</span>) "be able to" may be used.
 
*was(n't)/were(n't) able to
 
*was(n't)/were(n't) able to
 
*would(n't) be able to
 
*would(n't) be able to
*won't be able to
 
  
=Modal verbs in English=
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''Couldn't'' can also be used for the past tense.  However, ''could'' is not generally used for the past tense (except with the <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">perfect infinitive</span>, or with focusing adverbs like "only" or "even")
 +
*I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown.
 +
*I could only see my clients using Zoom, Whatsapp or Skype in April 2020.
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*<s>I could see my clients yesterday.</s>
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*The pandemic could <span style="color:#066;font-weight:bold;">have been</span> worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown).
 +
 
 +
 
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====practice====
  
Some of the most salient characteristics of the basic list (excluding other modalizers like ''ought to'', ''needn't'' etc.):
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reminder:  <span style="color:#050;>bɪ<sup>j</sup>'''''' bəl tə</span>  (and <span style="color:#050;font-weight:bold;">eɪ</span> = the letter <span style="color:#411;font-weight:bold;">A</span>)
 +
 
 +
#We won't be able to...
 +
#Will you be able to...  ?
 +
#They weren't able to...
 +
#Wasn't she able to... ?
 +
#Wouldn't you be able to... ?
 +
 
 +
===syntax & semantics===
  
 
*invariable
 
*invariable
 
*cannot be combined with (preceded or followed by) other modal verbs or "to"
 
*cannot be combined with (preceded or followed by) other modal verbs or "to"
 
*can be followed by the verbal base / bare infinitive (or nothing)
 
*can be followed by the verbal base / bare infinitive (or nothing)
*each have at least two main meanings (one radical, one "epistemic" (degree of certainty))  
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*has at least two main meanings (one "radical" (''capability''), one "epistemic" (''possibility''))  
 
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<br />
 
{| style="background-color:#FEFEF2; color:#301; text-align:center;" border="1" cellspacing="12" cellpadding="10"
 
{| style="background-color:#FEFEF2; color:#301; text-align:center;" border="1" cellspacing="12" cellpadding="10"
  
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|scope="col" | value judgement / necessity
 
|scope="col" | value judgement / necessity
 
|-
 
|-
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 +
  
 
! style="background-color:#3D001F; color:#FEFEF2;"| may  
 
! style="background-color:#3D001F; color:#FEFEF2;"| may  
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|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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==Usage difference between ''can'' & ''can't'' to express probability==
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*''can'' is '''not''' used to assess the probability that something is true or not.
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*''can't'' is sometimes used to say there is a 0% chance that something is the case:
 +
::&mdash;Where's my bag?  Have you seen it?
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::&mdash;No, but it '''<span style=color:#402;">could</span>''' be in the car. 
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::&mdash;No, it '''<span style=color:#402;">can't</span>''' be in the car because I had it when we bought the sodas.
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''could'' or ''might'' can be used interchangeably in the second sentence; ''can'', however would be incorrect.
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::&mdash;Be careful climbing that tree.  You <span style=color:#402;">'''could'''</span> fall.
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::&mdash;Well, maybe I just won't climb it.  If I don't climb it, I <span style=color:#402;">'''can't'''</span> fall from it, that much is certain!
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[[Category: 100-en]]

Latest revision as of 19:31, 24 August 2020

noun

Soupcan pillars: Royal Scottish Academy, 20th anniversary of Warhol's death, Tom Rolfe, 8.7.2007

The noun /naʊn/ pronounced /kæ̃nz/ (cans) refers to what in French are called boîtes de conserve. Go figure. :) English "boxes" refer to many things, but not to cylinders. It was a Frenchman, Nicolas Appert, who invented the process of canning, which helped provision Napoleonic troops in the War of 1812.

modal verb

pronunciation

  • Pronounced most often in its weak form: /kn/ or /kən/.
  • The strong form is /kæ̃n/ (The tilda over the ae symbol means it is nasalized: Parlez-vous kwæ̃kwæ̃?) (Cf. la voyelle française de "ben", si aigu au Canada: bɛ̃)
  • The negative contraction can't is pronounced kæ̃t in American English.

etymology

A little history and comparison is helpful here. German kennen and French connaître (to be acquainted with), like English know and Greek gnosis all have the same root sounds.

One possible synonym / periphrastic of can is know how to.

Manon can't cook, but she does know how to sing opera.

periphrastics

One of the most important/frequent periphrastics in English is be able to. jeɪbəltə

Can is used in the present tense only, though it can refer to the future (which is not a tense).

  • I can come tomorrow.
  • I can't be there next week.

It is possible, but not necessary to use will be able to instead of can to speak of the future.

  • I'll be able to come tomorrow.
  • I won't be able to be there next week.

Could can also be used for a hypothetical future. However, strangely, couldn't cannot be used for a negative hypothetical future.

  • I could come to your office once the lockdown ends.
  • I couldn't come to your office once the lockdown ends.
  • I could send it to you by email. (if you would like)
  • I couldn't send it to you by email. <-- necessarily interpreted as the past tense (je ne pouvais pas te l'envoyer par mél.)

In the past (and the conditional or "future of the past") "be able to" may be used.

  • was(n't)/were(n't) able to
  • would(n't) be able to

Couldn't can also be used for the past tense. However, could is not generally used for the past tense (except with the perfect infinitive, or with focusing adverbs like "only" or "even")

  • I couldn't come to your office in April 2020 because of the lockdown.
  • I could only see my clients using Zoom, Whatsapp or Skype in April 2020.
  • I could see my clients yesterday.
  • The pandemic could have been worse (if there hadn't been a lockdown).


practice

reminder: j bəl tə (and = the letter A)

  1. We won't be able to...
  2. Will you be able to...  ?
  3. They weren't able to...
  4. Wasn't she able to... ?
  5. Wouldn't you be able to... ?

syntax & semantics

  • invariable
  • cannot be combined with (preceded or followed by) other modal verbs or "to"
  • can be followed by the verbal base / bare infinitive (or nothing)
  • has at least two main meanings (one "radical" (capability), one "epistemic" (possibility))


can could capability / possibility
will would future / certainty / volonté
shall should value judgement / necessity
may might authorization / probability
must logical necessity / certainty

Usage difference between can & can't to express probability

  • can is not used to assess the probability that something is true or not.
  • can't is sometimes used to say there is a 0% chance that something is the case:
—Where's my bag? Have you seen it?
—No, but it could be in the car.
—No, it can't be in the car because I had it when we bought the sodas.

could or might can be used interchangeably in the second sentence; can, however would be incorrect.

—Be careful climbing that tree. You could fall.
—Well, maybe I just won't climb it. If I don't climb it, I can't fall from it, that much is certain!