I read an article and it said, "Furthermore, she found BUT two social classes, the Robbers and the Robbed."
What's the significance of BUT?
If you say "everyone but John came to the party" it means that John didn't come to the party. In writing it says she found but two social classes, robbers and robbed. Since "but" is used, isn't there supposed to be three or more classes..?
Please explaint this to me !
2007-02-06 18:29:34 · 7 answers · asked by jin l 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
In this context, "but" means "only" -- she found only two social classes. It can also mean "except for" as in "everyone but john came to the party" or it can mean "however" as in "i like him, but he is too young".
2007-02-06 18:37:41 · answer #1 · answered by acage123 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You ask a very interesting question. I can't explain the "rule," but in reading the statement, the word "but" is used to mean "only." In all of her research, the person found "only" two classes, the Robbers and the Robbed.
This sounds like it may be British English. It sounds a bit affected in American English.
That's the best I can do. Hope this clarifies the mystery somewhat.
2007-02-06 18:40:27 · answer #2 · answered by The Author 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Good! The sentence was in the context......
Unknown.
Many a times, structure of a sentence makes different meanings.
By the sentence above what all I can understand is,
Sh found all other or many other classes but didn't find the Two classes, 'The Robbers' & 'the Robbed.'
This is how I understand by the sentence.
Happy Reading!!
2007-02-06 18:42:00 · answer #3 · answered by Sudhendra 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
BUT can be used in a number of different ways and it has a slight variation on its meaning.
if used as an adverb it means only, just, so the sentence would be She found only two social classes.
It can also be a pronoun and a conj. not many people use but as an adverb and it sounds strange when it is used.
Another sentence would be. There is but one God.
2007-02-06 18:55:12 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well it would have helped if I had known what the full story was about, but that is not too much of a problem.
I think in this case the author is trying to say that this female found there were only two social classes.
It is a tricky one though.
2007-02-06 18:39:58 · answer #5 · answered by Spikey and Scruffy's Mummy 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Maybe it means she was only expecting to find one? or that maybe the two classes were the only ones available? good luck
2007-02-06 18:38:38 · answer #6 · answered by Jinkies 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
why it is supposed to be 3 or more. "But" here means "however".
"But" has nothing to do with the quantity.
2007-02-06 18:45:00 · answer #7 · answered by Nablus 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋