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 #2 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:18 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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Good morning Shi,
The answer is in the reply, " I can take it ". It makes no impact on my thoughts.
I gave it " no more than " a seconds thought.
It " no longer " concerns me.
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 Kitosdad
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| #3 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:24 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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Good morning Bill,
Thank you for your explanation.
His criticism was okay, I can take that, it made me no more than a trifle sour.
Do I understand correctly that 'it' in the above sentence refers to 'his criticism', so the orginal sentence could be rewritten as 'His criticism makes/made me no more than a trifle sour', which means 'his criticism makes/made me not a trifle sour any longer'?
Please correct me if I am wrong.
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Infin1ty
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| #4 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:34 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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Hi Infin1ty,
Yes, there is a difference. Look at these sentences:
It made me no more than a little angry. This is an example of English understatement and suggests that 'it' made me very angry. 'No more' in this construction suggests: not greater than a little angry This is 'more' in the sense of amount or quantity. The construction is also literary in style and also a bit of a mouthful!
In this sentence: It no longer made me angry. This means that I was angry before but now I am not angry - no longer angry.
Alan
PS I've just read this again and it strikes me as a bit wordy but I hope it's reasonably clear!
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| #5 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:43 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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Ever the Master of the written word Alan, even if a little long. Thanks. 
Yes Shi, " IT " is the remark in question.
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Kitosdad
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| #6 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:44 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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Thank you for you kind help, dear Alan. Your explanation make it crystal clear to me.
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Infin1ty
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| #7 (permalink) Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:48 am no more than vs no longer (it made me no more than a trifle sour) |
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| Kitosdad wrote: | | Yes Shi, " IT " is the remark in question. |
Thanks again, dear Bill. 
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Infin1ty
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| Possessive pronoun: A photo of you doing such thing. | Two houses to the left of the tall building. vs Houses before the tall building. |
Thanks in advance.