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Do/make/undergo ligation

Xinfu

October 14, 2014 06:16 AM

Do/make/undergo ligation

Are my sentences correct English?

-After reading the story, we are compelled to ask ourselves a question: what is life for? If we know that life is bound to be full of pain(s) and suffering(s), then we might as well not give birth to anyone; probably this is the best way to remove anguish and agony. In fact, the best way to topple an authoritarian government is not by military effort(s), but by universal ligature/ligation (=surgery for prevention of conceiving babies), though this method might take a long time. If a dictator refuses to give freedom of vote to his people, they could threaten not to give birth to the next generation; then every bad system would perish automatically. This might be a joke, but it might not be entirely useless in enlightening us as to what road we have to take in the future.

poli	October 14, 2014 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xinfu (Post 152034)

Are my sentences correct English?

-After reading the story, we are compelled to ask ourselves a question: what is life for? If we know that life is bound to be full of pain and suffering, then we may as well not give birth to anyone ; probably this is the best way to remove anguish and agony. In fact, the best way to topple an authoritarian government is not by military effort(s) (either military effort or efforts are OK), but by universal tubal ligation (=surgery for prevention of conceiving babies), though this method might take a long time. If a dictator refuses to give freedom to vote (instead of freedom to vote, you may use suffrage) to his people, they could threaten not to give birth to the next generation; then every bad system would perish automatically. This might be a joke, but it might not be entirely useless in enlightening us as to what road we have to take in the future.

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Xinfu

October 16, 2014 12:48 AM

Thank you~ I like the corrections, but could you tell me on what point you changed MIGHT to MAY? Style or grammar or euphony? I thought MIGHT was correct because in dictionaries we often find 'may/might (just) as well do something'; but they don't give further explanation(s) as to the subtle differences between these expressions.

Rusty

October 16, 2014 05:45 PM

Using 'might as well' is much more common than 'may as well' in everyday speech.

poli	October 16, 2014 08:43 PM

There is a slight difference between may and might, and probably ancient rules that few follow these days, but may implies greater possibility than might. For instance: It may be true means that it is possible that it is true.
That might be true implies more doubt.

They are often used interchangeably, but even to those who are unaware of it, when they use might the situation is more iffy.

Xinfu

October 19, 2014 01:27 AM

Thank you~

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