About “if ever” and “in his own small way”
M. Kapasi can still tell that his wife understands his English. It’s a foreign Language. But she didn’t understand that he had become her son, she saved another’spiritual’ soul. He didn’t understand the previous two lives she’d lost, but he was pleased. If ever she used the phrase “doctor’s assistant,” as if part of the process for interpretation was equal to taking someone’s temperature, or changing a bedpan. She was clearly referring to his position. She never ask him about the patients who came to his clinic, or said that his job was a big responsibility.
Would you like to teach me more about bold sentences? Especially the following phrases:
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in his own small way
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if ever
Help would be greatly appreciated Source:
Extracted from the book “Interpreter of Maladies” by Lahiri Chandra.
If she stepped on her dog’s tail, the dog would yelp. In this context, ”
If ever she” is really just the same as “If she ever”.
If she stepped on her dog’s tail, it would yelp loudly. This is a dog that had completely blind spot with nothing to do.
On the one hand, “everyone” has very personal feelings about something. The second also has more poetic feel.
Who ever let out a yelp if she made one with my pet dog?
What is loudest yelp in dogs’ name? With her new set of headphones, it sounds like her neighbors could hear the dog howling if nothing else.
The phrase in his own medium refers to matters that make a difference. It’s often used to in situations where someone is doing something they might regard as something small – something they might describe as “Oh, that’s the least I could do” – but somehow their deeds contribute to a larger cause and have a big impact. Why do you think Jane was a funny and often helpful person? Don’t you think Jane Byron is leaving her new job, now THAT she is gone? Is Jane always
able to light up the room in her own way?
Jane
seems like a good girl. She was always cheerful.
The phrase is most commonly used in a positive context. For example,: Though living on a small
income, he has been magnanimous in his own small way to provide shelter to an orphan girl
Paul Lazarus wanted to do more – maybe
even, in his own small way, help to change the world.
And, I always give a card to
Jeff. The garbage man who so simplifies my life, his own small way. And how do you write your Christmas cards?
In the book of 1869, by William M. Miller, where he met his mother, she escaped from Mr. Arthur
(who was living with him), he was attracted to her. So far, in his own small and bad way. He was jealous of her abusing.. but could not be used in a negative context.
In that example, his little irritations, are having a big impact on his life, and making it impossible for him to enjoy his life.
