Please, check these sentences

[irmamar]

Are these sentences correct?

..., the younger leaders were influenced by Druidic priests, who had become more of a force in Britain,...

Caracatus, a young anti-Roman leader, escaped into Wales.


My word processor tells me to revise, but...

Thanks.

[laepelba]

Interesting. I don't find anything wrong in your sentences at first read through. What is your word processor telling you is incorrect?

I might (only *might*) place a "the" before "Druidic priests". But I don't believe it's absolutely necessary....

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Caracatus, a young anti-Roman leader, escaped into Wales.

Looks good to me, except 'escaped to Wales' (but into is not wrong). His name was Caractacus, which I guess is just a typo.

[irmamar]

My book says "Caratacus" Ah, sorry I said Caracatus (dyslexia ).

"A" before priests if it is plural?

Then I'll left these sentences as correct. Thanks a lot.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

"A" before priests if it is plural?

no - laepelba suggested a "the", not the "a". i.e. the priests. But I don't think the suggestion is correct anyway.

[irmamar]

I don't know reading yet, either.

Thanks.

[laepelba]

Yeah, I'm iffy on "the", myself. It would only be if there is a specific group of priests. But if it's just any old Druidic priests, then there should be no article....

[irmamar]

Don't worry. Thanks.

[Awaken]

I read it twice and I don't have any issues with the sentences. I agree with Perikles in that "escaped to Wales" would be more common, but "into" is also correct and makes perfect sense to me.

I like helping with English. Is there an equivalent forum as this where people are learning English. I found a couple with Google, but none are the quality of this forum.

[irmamar]

I understand that escape into gives the idea of movement (as come into, for instance).

You're right, Awaken. I haven't found another forum for learning English as this one or with the kindness you can find here.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I understand that escape into gives the idea of movement (as come into, for instance).

Two points here - the first is on-topic. The idea of movement is also contained by 'escape to'. You would escape to a country, but a mouse would escape into it's hole. I know Wales is small, but not that small.

Another point is completely off-topic but more interesting. Somebody English would most probably not say I understand that ...., but would say I understood that... The form is an indicative past tense, but I'm wondering whether this is in fact one of those rare animals, an English subjunctive. This conveys an idea of uncertainty. Somebody is challenging what you understood, or understand, and your response is something like 'I would understand'. If you say 'I understand that' this is rather too assertive for the context.

[laepelba]

Interesting point about "into" vs. "to" and your comment about movement. I find that Spanish prepositions indicate movement/direction more than English. Most of my very educated native-Spanish-speaking friends even say things like "when I arrive to ... " or "when I leave from ... " or related... Often these are situations in which I would just say "when I arrive." or "when I leave."

In the context given, "escape to Wales" is completely sufficient to express the movement of the escape. "into Wales" isn't wrong. It's just a bit tooooo much "into-ness" ... at least for an American ear.....

[pjt33]

I actually prefer "escape into" here. My first instinct was that "escape to Wales" was marked, but I checked BNC and it seems to be fairly common. I don't think it conveys that Wales is small so much as protective: once he's there he can't be forced out.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Perikles

but a mouse would escape into it's hole. I know Wales is small, but not that small.

But, you should give us, kids, a good example...
"escape into its hole" right?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

But, you should give us, kids, a good example...
"escape into its hole" right?

Jeez - I can't believe I did that. I blame this cheap Spanish wine.

Originally Posted by pjt33

I actually prefer "escape into" here. My first instinct was that "escape to Wales" was marked, but I checked BNC and it seems to be fairly common. I don't think it conveys that Wales is small so much as protective: once he's there he can't be forced out.

Yes, you may be right. He in fact escaped into the Welsh hills, which reinforces your "escape into".

[irmamar]

Thanks everybody.

Perikles, cheap or expensive, Spanish wine in large quatities makes everybody drunk. I've experienced the same with wines from all over the world. I think this is a curious characteristic that the wine has.

In Spanish "entender" means that you have a clear opinion or knowledge about anything or you think you know something well, not only "understand" or "comprender" in the sense of having that opinion as something new (yes, I know this is not a good explanation, but I don't know how to explain). Maybe I could say "believe" or "think" instead.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Perikles, cheap or expensive, Spanish wine in large quatities makes everybody drunk. I've experienced the same with wines from all over the world. I think this is a curious characteristic that the wine has.

You might be right - I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

Originally Posted by irmamar

In Spanish "entender" means that you have a clear opinion or knowledge about anything or you think you know something well, not only "understand" or "comprender" in the sense of having that opinion as something new (yes, I know this is not a good explanation, but I don't know how to explain). Maybe I could say "believe" or "think" instead.

In which case, in context you would say "I believed" or "I thought". It is not so much the verb, but the mood or tense which interested me.

[poli]

Dar a entender is very similar to the English understand
when the context in English is tentative. The just according to what I understand, and I haven't had cheap Spanish wine in over twenty-four hours.

[irmamar]

No, I don't want to say "dar a entender", sino "tengo entendido". So I use the present: entiendo que "into" implica movimiento / tengo entendido que "into" implica movimiento / tengo la certeza que "into" implica movimiento. That's why I used the present tense instead the past.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

No, I don't want to say "dar a entender", sino "tengo entendido". So I use the present: entiendo que "into" implica movimiento / tengo entendido que "into" implica movimiento / tengo la certeza que "into" implica movimiento. That's why I used the present tense instead the past.

OK, but still in this context you would say "I understood" as a translation of "tengo entendido". Others may disagree, but I still think this could be a present subjunctive in English. It may be just politeness, and the English are always polite . Somebody has corrected you, and rather than assert that the person is wrong (which "I understand" implies) you give to understand that the person is right, even if you don't think so.