Re: must not (was Re: [gentoo-user] Raid reports wrong size)

[Paul Hartman]

On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 3:13 PM, Dirk Heinrichs
<dirk.heinrichs@××××××.de> wrote:
> Am Freitag, 19. Dezember 2008 21:53:47 schrieb Paul Hartman:
>> Yes, in English "must" can also mean that you infer or presume
>> something.
>
> Ah, yes. I remember :-)
>
>> So, instead of "your kernel must not be 64bits", maybe it
>> would have been clearer to say "I suspect you are not using a 64-bit
>> kernel; if you were, it would not have this problem". :)
>
> So can "your kernel must not..." be understood as "I suspect your kernel is
> not..."? Wasn't aware of this... Thanks for clarifying.

Yes, exactly. It is confusing, especially if you are used to languages
that have proper rules. I think the only rule in English is "there are
no rules in English" :) :) Here are English dictionary definitions for
"must" when used as a verb. I think in this case numbers 4 or 7 could
apply.


1 a: be commanded or requested to <you must stop> b: be urged to :
ought by all means to <you must read that book>

2: be compelled by physical necessity to <one must eat to live> : be
required by immediate or future need or purpose to <we must hurry to
catch the bus>

3 a: be obliged to : be compelled by social considerations to <I must
say you're looking well> b: be required by law, custom, or moral
conscience to <we must obey the rules> c: be determined to <if you
must go at least wait for me> d: be unreasonably or perversely
compelled to <why must you argue>

4: be logically inferred or supposed to <it must be time>

5: be compelled by fate or by natural law to <what must be will be>

6: was or were presumably certain to : was or were bound to <if he did
it she must have known>

7dialect : may  , shall —used chiefly in questions