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#2 (permalink) Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:48 am Phrase: "left-over dignity" |
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Hi,
'Left-over dignity' is a telling phrase and suggests 'what remained of her dignity.' The effectiveness of the phrase comes about through the combination of 'left-over' with 'dignity' since 'left-over' is usually associated with mundane things like food for example.
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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#3 (permalink) Thu Feb 01, 2007 13:52 pm Phrase: "left-over dignity" |
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I also like your concept of "left-over dignity", Tom, but I'd suggest omitting 'her' and adding 'only'.
"... but, of course, with only left-over dignity."
Or possibly this:
"... but, of course, with only a few scraps of left-over dignity."
Just some ideas...
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#4 (permalink) Thu Feb 01, 2007 15:20 pm Phrase: "left-over dignity" |
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I don't agree. The very inclusion of 'her' makes this even more effective because you are expecting ' with her left-over supper, for example.
A _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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#5 (permalink) Thu Feb 01, 2007 15:31 pm Phrase: "left-over dignity" |
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| Tom wrote: |
| She finally made it to her home town, but, of course, with her left-over dignity. |
Why 'of course'? Do we expect her to have some dignity left? Maybe we know the character so well by now that it couldn't be otherwise? |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#6 (permalink) Thu Feb 01, 2007 17:45 pm Phrase: "left-over dignity" |
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That was a question that popped into my head too, Conchita. I suppose it was the inclusion of "of course" that caused me to want to add 'only'. Why should we "of course" expect her to have any of her dignity left over? _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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| Expression for the state when a child starts to understand things around him | Song: "La isla Bonita" |