I would like to learn some of the activities of Max’s tutoring here. Link to playlist here.
I wonder if the tutoring is like you work on small stuff that builds up to something bigger.
I’m on Tutoring Max #1 at 34:22 - Example: “The ferocious dog chased three cats over the chair.”; making tree at 48:41; S-expression at 50:36.
Made the tree early before going to 48:41. The most trouble i had was knowing what “over the chair” modified. I was just slightly unsure.
Tutoring Max #3(Link here):
Farting or belching is mildly impolite.
(is :: verb
(or :: conjunction
Farting :: gerund
Belching :: gerund
)
(impolite :: adjective
mildly :: adverb
)
)
I went to a fancy university, yet I’m still quite ignorant.
(yet :: conjuction
(went :: verb
I :: subject
(to
(university
fancy
a
)
)
)
(am :: verb
I :: subject
(ignorant :: adjective
quite :: adverb
)
still :: adverb
)
)
I tried writing the s-expression by putting the close parentheses under their open parentheses but i rather not worry about that. I’ll try to just put the closed parentheses after the end of a bunch of subtrees. Also it’s taking a while to type out a bunch of spaces instead of indenting
I dont know if still modifies “is” or “ignorant” so i made a table:
| idea | One word | doesnt include a noun | takes an input of an adverb without commas |
|---|---|---|---|
| “still” modifies “am” | yes | yes | no |
| “still” modifies “ignorant” | yes | yes | yes |
| “still” modifies “I’m” | no | no | no |
I think it sounds right to me that “still” modifies “ignorant” cuz it doesn’t sound right that it modifies the root of the sentence. I would surround it with commas if so. I don’t think “am” takes inputs of adverbs in the form of “still” without commas. Even if it did, it doesn’t really change the meaning of the sentence that much. The connection between the person and being ignorant persists. They continue to be ignorant.
If universities are full of uncurious professors, don’t attend one.
(if
(do
not
(attend
one)
(are
universities)
(full
(of professors
uncurious))))
Im trying to get the parentheses part of the s-expressions right. I remember i had a note taking app that auto added the closed parentheses but not anymore.
I found the note taking app again. It’s called TextMate and did some s-expression practice:
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You might’ve seen the answer in the video already, but I don’t think “still” modifies “ignorant”.
Often if I’m unsure what modifies what, I’ll consider minor variations in the sentence, e.g:
I am not ignorant
I am very ignorant
I am ignorant
I am still ignorant
Do those look easier to you or like the same difficulty?
Oh i thought I did see the answer and I think ET said something like “still” tells us about the nature of the ignorance. I have to watch the full section.
They do look easier like it’s easier to think about the words when they’re ordered one by one.
Dang idk what “still” would modify, but I would say “am” cuz the link between “I” and “ignorant” existed in the past and continues to exist.
Oh you’re right; in that video Elliot says he thinks “still” modifies “ignorant”. I disagree with that I think it’s an adverb modifying “am”.
Notice how if we put “still” at the start, end, or either side of “am”, the meaning of sentence is the same:
Still I am quite ignorant.
I am quite ignorant still.
I still am quite ignorant.
I am still quite ignorant.
I think this works because it’s modifying the verb, which is the most important part of the clause. So it can work as a modifier for the whole clause, or as a modifier of the verb.
(Sent from my phone)
I wondered and settled on the same thing as you:
LMD gave me similar advice too.
Yeah, i think i tried reordering “still” around intuitively, but i didnt go all way through with it. I’ll try doing it next time to see if an adverb modifies the root of the sentence. If I try to move “very” in these next few examples, it doesnt make as much sense:
I am very ignorant.
Very, I am ignorant.
I very am ignorant.
I am ignorant very.
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Ahh ok ok. I’ll try to look at ur examples or others’ next time to make sure. I like seeing the reasoning others give and helps me confirm
Consider:
- The ignorance still exists.
- The still-ignorance exists.
- The ignorance, of the still existing type, exists.
- The ignorance, which has lasted a long time, exists.
the sentence having an action verb makes it easier to read. I don’t know how “still” would modify ignorance. Looking at the other sentence examples it looks like “still” or similar words to “still” are modifying “ignorance”. I don’t know if 1 one is supposed to follow that pattern.
My first read of this sentence makes me think of the still that means like standing still. Like not moving. Maybe i should look up the definition of that. The hyphen between “still” and “ignorance” makes me think about the words differently tho. Like it’s not about the ignorance not moving.
After reading this quote and reading the first quote in my reply, i think 1 can equal 3 or maybe 4. I think cuz it doesn’t mess up the meaning of the sentence. Like if “ignorance” is modified by “still” in 1, then we know that “ignorance” is of the still existing type and we know that 1’s verb says it exists. That’s the same i think as the existing still happening(“still” modifies “exists”). The existing of the ignorance.
I like these examples to demonstrate:
- the water is still green
- the still water is green
Idk why if i think that the water is of the still existing type in this sentence, it does not make as much sense. Like if I say: the water, of the still existing type, is green. that makes me think like duh the water is still a thing, an entity.
I think if I say: “The water, which has continued to exist, is green,” I gotta say no to the water just existing as an entity and yes to it continuing to exist in the form of being the color green.
I wouldn’t talk about existence here. I was thinking of the sentence in a context like you dropped something in the water that turned it green, and you’re expecting it turn blue later, but you checked and it was still green, not yet blue.
What does “still” modify in the second sentence?
Ah ok that makes sense
It would modify “water” and tell us it’s still water. Still water i think is when water is not flowing around like in a river.
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Yup. Does that help with thinking about the first sentence? Are you more confident on what “still” modifies in the first sentence?
Yeah i know if “still” was in front of “water” it wouldnt be an adverb. It would be adjective modifying “water”.
Yeah i think getting more context helps with knowing what it doesnt modify. I think in the first sentence “still” modifies “is” cuz it tells us how the water is. It continues in that state, the state of being green
I agree. I think that’s a good explanation of it. And does that help with “I’m still quite ignorant”?
Yeah, “I’m still quite ignorant,” is like:
the state or i think the quality of being quite ignorant continues to be. It continues to exist. I think the context would be like the same tho like checking if the ignorance has changed and the ignorant quote is saying, ‘no still the same.’
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For the grammar example:
The “still” in the second clause modifies “am” to say, ‘no them being quite ignorant hasn’t changed.’ They continue to be in that state of being quite ignorant. The fancy university seems like it was supposed to change that.
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