What does “can be said to do / to be” something mean?
The various modern revolutions in physics, in psychology, in politics, even in literary style, have not escaped his intelligent notice, but they can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
(Source)
Could you please explain the following?
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
Or, I can not understand such a structure like the following:
In contrast, prices set by a central planner are necessarily arbitrary, since there is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect. d'oh!
grammar phrases expressions vocabulary
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
add a comment |
The various modern revolutions in physics, in psychology, in politics, even in literary style, have not escaped his intelligent notice, but they can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
(Source)
Could you please explain the following?
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
Or, I can not understand such a structure like the following:
In contrast, prices set by a central planner are necessarily arbitrary, since there is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect. d'oh!
grammar phrases expressions vocabulary
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
add a comment |
The various modern revolutions in physics, in psychology, in politics, even in literary style, have not escaped his intelligent notice, but they can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
(Source)
Could you please explain the following?
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
Or, I can not understand such a structure like the following:
In contrast, prices set by a central planner are necessarily arbitrary, since there is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect. d'oh!
grammar phrases expressions vocabulary
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
The various modern revolutions in physics, in psychology, in politics, even in literary style, have not escaped his intelligent notice, but they can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
(Source)
Could you please explain the following?
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
Or, I can not understand such a structure like the following:
In contrast, prices set by a central planner are necessarily arbitrary, since there is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect. d'oh!
grammar phrases expressions vocabulary
grammar phrases expressions vocabulary
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:40
philshem
390319
390319
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
asked Mar 3 '14 at 9:36
nima
12531332
12531332
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
If something can be said to be X, it means that it would be possible (or better, accurate or reasonable) to say that something is X.
Look at the following lines, meaning (very roughly!) the same thing:
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
It can scarcely be said about them that they have influenced them deeply.
It would be wrong to say that they influenced him deeply.
They did not influence him deeply.
For your last sentence, a similar exercise:
There is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect.
There is no standard we can use to say that they are correct or incorrect
There is no standard that defines them as correct or incorrect
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
If something can be said to be X, it means that it would be possible (or better, accurate or reasonable) to say that something is X.
Look at the following lines, meaning (very roughly!) the same thing:
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
It can scarcely be said about them that they have influenced them deeply.
It would be wrong to say that they influenced him deeply.
They did not influence him deeply.
For your last sentence, a similar exercise:
There is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect.
There is no standard we can use to say that they are correct or incorrect
There is no standard that defines them as correct or incorrect
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
add a comment |
If something can be said to be X, it means that it would be possible (or better, accurate or reasonable) to say that something is X.
Look at the following lines, meaning (very roughly!) the same thing:
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
It can scarcely be said about them that they have influenced them deeply.
It would be wrong to say that they influenced him deeply.
They did not influence him deeply.
For your last sentence, a similar exercise:
There is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect.
There is no standard we can use to say that they are correct or incorrect
There is no standard that defines them as correct or incorrect
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
add a comment |
If something can be said to be X, it means that it would be possible (or better, accurate or reasonable) to say that something is X.
Look at the following lines, meaning (very roughly!) the same thing:
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
It can scarcely be said about them that they have influenced them deeply.
It would be wrong to say that they influenced him deeply.
They did not influence him deeply.
For your last sentence, a similar exercise:
There is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect.
There is no standard we can use to say that they are correct or incorrect
There is no standard that defines them as correct or incorrect
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
If something can be said to be X, it means that it would be possible (or better, accurate or reasonable) to say that something is X.
Look at the following lines, meaning (very roughly!) the same thing:
They can scarcely be said to have influenced him deeply.
It can scarcely be said about them that they have influenced them deeply.
It would be wrong to say that they influenced him deeply.
They did not influence him deeply.
For your last sentence, a similar exercise:
There is no standard against which they can be said to be correct or incorrect.
There is no standard we can use to say that they are correct or incorrect
There is no standard that defines them as correct or incorrect
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
edited Mar 3 '14 at 11:29
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
answered Mar 3 '14 at 9:42
oerkelens
33.6k792123
33.6k792123
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
add a comment |
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
More strictly, it is used when it is accurate or perhaps reasonable to say that something is X. Foxes have been said by some people to enjoy being hunted, but I'd not accept 'Foxes can be said to enjoy being hunted.'
– Edwin Ashworth
Mar 3 '14 at 10:43
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
Thank you all so much. However, why at my original sentence is used they instead of he,she or it? they can scarcely be said to have influenced him
– nima
Mar 3 '14 at 10:49
1
1
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
@nima_persian: They refers to The various modern revolutions in your original sentence, and to prices in your second. In both cases, it's plural, so no he, she or it.
– oerkelens
Mar 3 '14 at 11:27
add a comment |
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