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Polinusinkaasked for translation 8 years ago
How to translate? (ru-en)

она не могла не смеяться над ним

User translations (4)

  1. 1.

    it was all she could do to keep from laughing at him.

    translation added by ⁌ ULY ⁍
    Gold ru-en
    3
  2. 2.

    She couldn't help but laugh at him.

    translation added by Aleh La
    Gold ru-en
    2
  3. 3.

    ...couldn't help laughing... (требуется

    -ing форма глагола)

    translation added by Anton 1710
    1
  4. 4.

    She couldn't but laugh at him

    translation added by Elena Bogomolova
    Gold ru-en
    1

Discussion (14)

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

Anton, your sentence means the exact same thing. They are both correct.

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

the meaning - ok, but what about "inf." or "-ing" after "can't help?

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

the meaning - ok, but what about "inf." or "-ing" after "can't help?

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

the meaning - ok, but what about "inf." or "-ing" after "can't help?

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

the meaning - ok, but what about "inf." or "-ing" after "can't help?

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

Anton, you can use Aleh's pattern with BUT, or your pattern with -ING, or you can phrase it the way I did, and they all mean the same thing in this context.

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

So far you have posted two rules: (1) master class пишется слитно; and (2) требуется -ing. Unfortunately, both of these rules are wrong. Perhaps you should stop posting rules and start asking questions, yes?

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

Thank you for your advice, Uly. I'll think twice before posting next time. Again, I'm not saying what you posted is incorrect, but I'm going to stick with what I've learned from my sources: Oxford University Press and Pearson Education Limited. Needless to say it is mostly British English. You'd make a brilliant moderator. As for your other comments in this thread, thank you.

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

Anton, thank you for your kind words. I guess I'm already an unofficial moderator :-)

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

As for what you're going to stick with, it's NOT mostly British both Americans and Brits use both of these forms, I assure you. It's just a matter of preference or style, but they both mean the exact same thing. So you're not really sticking with anything, you're free to use them both and you will sound correct either way.

Anton 1710added a comment 8 years ago

To Uly: I see your point. To Olga: Yes, they do, Olga. I just shared that if "can't help" is directly followed by a verb it should be its "-ing" form; not that it can't be a conjunction or a pronoun ecc., or that those varies in meaning (I'd like to highlight the latter words as everybody infers I meant otherwise) Full stop (or period, if you like so)

⁌ ULY ⁍added a comment 8 years ago

I'm glad you understood, Anton.

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