The English Language

A section to discuss matters not related to Chess in particular.
soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri May 05, 2017 7:15 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
soheil_hooshdaran wrote: No, he is just describing why he exchanged his "fine" dark-squared Bishop with the enemy knight by saying:
"Normally I wouldn;t..., but..."
Perhaps he's describing the thought process.

"Normally I wouldn't exchange a Bishop for a Knight, but the resulting position would favour Knights."
Wouldn't 'will' do the job?

John McKenna

Re: The English Language

Post by John McKenna » Fri May 05, 2017 7:35 pm

You appear to fail to grasp the difference between the conditional - I would do something in some circumstance(s) - and the actual - I will do something no matter what the circumstance(s).

If conditions apply to an action the conditional tense is not absolutely necessary but it is more efficient. Do you have conditionals in Farsi?

Edit: For example -

"Normally I wouldn't exchange a Bishop for a Knight, but the resulting position would favour Knights..."

Could(/Can) be written -

Normally I won't exchange a Bishop for a Knight,
but the resulting position will favour Knights...

The difference is subtle in this case but the former gives a greater sense that something might be done in exceptional circumstances rather than the sense that something will be done in those circumstances.

The perennial problem is that you want to comprehend the subtle differences and nuances of English which even the native speakers struggle to explain easily. Only by living in an English speaking environment would you slowly begin to appreciate those things for yourself.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Fri May 05, 2017 8:19 pm

John McKenna wrote:Only by living in an English speaking environment would you slowly begin to appreciate those things for yourself.
Aha! would

John McKenna

Re: The English Language

Post by John McKenna » Fri May 05, 2017 11:35 pm

Yes, you would... if you could, and you will if you can.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 7:11 am

John McKenna wrote: If conditions apply to an action the conditional tense is not absolutely necessary but it is more efficient. Do you have conditionals in Farsi?
Sure we have, but I don't grasp 'would' when other words are also there.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 8:58 am

What is a poor move?
Is it a move that is useless you should get rid of it ? Can you call it a garbage move?

Ian Thompson
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Re: The English Language

Post by Ian Thompson » Sat May 06, 2017 11:34 am

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:What is a poor move?
If you play a poor move it means it wasn't the best move you could have played in the position, and implies that it was a much worse move than the best one.
soheil_hooshdaran wrote:Can you call it a garbage move?
You'd have to ask an American whether that term means anything to them. In English, it doesn't.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 11:43 am

Ian Thompson wrote:
soheil_hooshdaran wrote:What is a poor move?
If you play a poor move it means it wasn't the best move you could have played in the position, and implies that it was a much worse move than the best one.
Means useless?
What about 'bad'?

Ian Thompson
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Re: The English Language

Post by Ian Thompson » Sat May 06, 2017 12:08 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote:
Ian Thompson wrote:
soheil_hooshdaran wrote:What is a poor move?
If you play a poor move it means it wasn't the best move you could have played in the position, and implies that it was a much worse move than the best one.
Means useless?
What about 'bad'?
Neither. Suppose the position has reached an endgame and White's King in on e1. White wants to move his King to g5. That takes 4 moves by the most direct routes. If White played Kd1 that could be described as a poor move because it's now going to take 5 moves in total to get to g5. If loss of that tempo didn't affect the result of the game you might describe it as a poor move. If loss of the tempo turned a win into a draw, or a draw into a loss, you'd describe it as a bad move.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: The English Language

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat May 06, 2017 1:05 pm

Or to cite chess notation:

Objectively poor moves which nonetheless shouldn't affect the result of the game can be annotated ?!, or sometimes (?)

A move which is poor enough to potentially change the outcome should get a ?

Outright blunders - eg blatantly changing a won game into a loss, or drawing when there was a forced win/mate, qualify for ??
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 1:07 pm

poor means mistake?

Barry Sandercock
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Re: The English Language

Post by Barry Sandercock » Sat May 06, 2017 1:26 pm

Poor means substandard or mediocre.

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 1:38 pm

Thabks room

soheil_hooshdaran
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Re: The English Language

Post by soheil_hooshdaran » Sat May 06, 2017 1:40 pm

What does the following mean?
"If Black tries to bold on to his Bishop with 21...Bg7, I would destroy him with.........."

Roger de Coverly
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Re: The English Language

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sat May 06, 2017 1:42 pm

soheil_hooshdaran wrote: "If Black tries to bold on to his Bishop with 21...Bg7"
Don't you mean "hold"? "hold on to" means retain. Presumably the context is a move by the Bishop from a square where it could be captured to g7.