Petusek Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Meaning of "mustn't" in questions
Hello everyone,
Discussing modal verbs, a friend of mine and I encountered a problem: What is the actual meaning of MUSTN'T in questions?
We weren't able to agree.
Consider the following example:
Mustn't she say that every time?
Does it mean...
(a) Isn't she obliged to say that every time?
(b) Is she disallowed to say that every time?
(c) Isn't she allowed to say that every time?
We both agreed that...
Needn't she say that every time?
Doesn't she need to say that every time?
Hasn't she got to say that every time?
Doesn't she have to say that every time?
...would all probably be interpreted as similar to (a), as needn't, not need, not have to and haven't got to all seem to share the general component of "absence of obligation, duty or responsibility". Then, perhaps, (b) might rather match mustn't instead.
Neither of us was sure however.
Many thanks for any comments!
P.
Discussing modal verbs, a friend of mine and I encountered a problem: What is the actual meaning of MUSTN'T in questions?
We weren't able to agree.
Consider the following example:
Mustn't she say that every time?
Does it mean...
(a) Isn't she obliged to say that every time?
(b) Is she disallowed to say that every time?
(c) Isn't she allowed to say that every time?
We both agreed that...
Needn't she say that every time?
Doesn't she need to say that every time?
Hasn't she got to say that every time?
Doesn't she have to say that every time?
...would all probably be interpreted as similar to (a), as needn't, not need, not have to and haven't got to all seem to share the general component of "absence of obligation, duty or responsibility". Then, perhaps, (b) might rather match mustn't instead.
Neither of us was sure however.
Many thanks for any comments!
P.
Top answer
petusek Mustn't she say that every time? a) Isn't she obliged to say that every time?
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petusekMustn't she say that every time?a) Isn't she obliged to say that every time?
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petusekMustn't she say that every time?Doesn't she have to say that every time?
OR
It's true, isn't it, that she has to say that every time?
CJ
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Many thanks everyone!
What a splendid example of asymmetry!
So, only in declarative sentences, mustn't conveys a meaning similar to mayn't or can't, whereas in interrogative sentences, it sort of preserves the component of must expressing a meaning similar to not have to, right?
I must leave. ~ I have to le
What a splendid example of asymmetry!
So, only in declarative sentences, mustn't conveys a meaning similar to mayn't or can't, whereas in interrogative sentences, it sort of preserves the component of must expressing a meaning similar to not have to, right?
I must leave. ~ I have to le
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