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Re: a doubt about c

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Geoff wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:44:07 -0700 (PDT), Squeamizh
> <squeamz@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> On Jun 13, 7:39 am, Seebs <usenet-nos...@seebs.net> wrote:
>>> On 2011-06-11, Nobody <nob...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The western equivalent is along the lines of "I'm unsure about ...".
>>>> Again, the question is implied rather than stated explicitly.
>>> Yes.
>>>
>>>> In its most general form, it just means that you're uncertain.
>>>> "I doubt ..." tends to specifically signify disbelief, but "I have doubts
>>>> about ..." is more on-the-fence.
>>> Interestingly, outside of the Asian-influenced dialect, I've never seen "a
>>> doubt" used in English.  I've seen doubt used as a verb, and doubts (plural)
>>> referred to, but I've not seen a native speaker say "a doubt".
>> Maybe you're forgetting the expression "without a doubt."
> 
> Also, FWIW, Webster's lists "question" as a synonym of "doubt" but not
> vice versa.
> 
> http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doubt
> 
> It's entirely possible the Jesuits who pioneered the Asian-European
> translation efforts in the 1700's are responsible for this "doubt vs.
> question" problem since the connotation of "doubt" is one of
> incertitude and distrust vs the interrogative connotation of
> "question" and the Spanish-French speaking Jesuits had their own
> cultural biases and criteria when the references were developed.
> 
> In other words, give it up Seebs, you aren't going prevail against a
> 300 year old etymology.

What's to "give up"? It is not a normal usage outside "Indian" English, 
to the extent that most speakers of other forms of English find it 
puzzling when they first come across it. It does no harm to advise its 
users that it is a usage which is not widely understood, and may do them 
some good.

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a doubt about c Ya Shou <zxyzxy12321@gmail.com> - 2011-06-11 06:11 -0700
  Re: a doubt about c James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-06-11 09:36 -0400
  Re: a doubt about c Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-06-11 14:37 +0000
    Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 11:55 -0700
      Re: a doubt about c Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-06-11 20:41 +0000
        Re: a doubt about c Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 08:58 +1200
          Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-11 17:09 -0500
          Re: a doubt about c Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-06-11 18:25 -0400
            Re: a doubt about c Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 11:43 +1200
            Re: a doubt about c Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 05:38 -0700
              Re: a doubt about c Roberto Waltman <usenet@rwaltman.com> - 2011-06-12 10:12 -0400
                Re: a doubt about c Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-06-12 10:59 -0400
                Re: a doubt about c Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-06-15 17:07 +0100
                Re: a doubt about c Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 11:33 -0700
                Re: a doubt about c James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-06-15 09:53 -0400
                Re: a doubt about c Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-06-16 18:46 +0100
          Re: a doubt about c DSF <notavalid@address.here> - 2011-06-11 18:53 -0500
            Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 16:18 -0700
              Re: a doubt about c Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-06-11 21:13 -0500
                Re: a doubt about c Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 14:56 +1200
                Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 20:24 -0700
                Re: a doubt about c Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-06-12 08:10 -0400
            Re: a doubt about c Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-12 11:49 +1200
        Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 15:36 -0700
      Re: a doubt about c Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-06-12 00:23 +0100
        Re: a doubt about c Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-06-13 14:39 +0000
          Re: a doubt about c Squeamizh <squeamz@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-15 15:44 -0700
            Re: a doubt about c Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2011-06-15 19:57 -0700
              Re: a doubt about c "J. J. Farrell" <jjf@bcs.org.uk> - 2011-06-16 18:39 +0100
                Re: a doubt about c Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-06-17 15:39 +0100
                Re: a doubt about c Willem <willem@toad.stack.nl> - 2011-06-17 14:49 +0000
                Re: a doubt about c Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-06-17 09:14 -0600
                Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-17 12:00 -0500
                Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-17 11:08 -0500
                Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question. (Re: a doubt about c) Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-17 13:00 -0500
                Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question. (Re: a doubt about c) Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-22 19:01 -0500
                Re: a doubt about c Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-06-17 09:14 -0600
                Re: a doubt about c Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-06-17 22:16 +0000
                Re: a doubt about c "J. J. Farrell" <jjf@bcs.org.uk> - 2011-06-18 02:24 +0100
      Re: a doubt about c Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-06-11 23:09 -0600
      [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Roberto Waltman <usenet@rwaltman.com> - 2011-06-12 10:05 -0400
        Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-12 11:22 -0700
          Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-06-12 11:44 -0700
        Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Ralph Spitzner <rasp@spitzner.org> - 2011-06-13 11:31 +0200
          Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-06-15 10:03 -0400
            Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question. (Re: a doubt about c) Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-06-17 07:52 +0100
            Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-06-19 00:41 -0700
              Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-06-19 07:04 -0400
                Re: [OT] Doubt vs. question.  (Re: a doubt about c) Bill Waddington <william.waddington@beezmo.com> - 2011-06-23 11:03 -0700
  Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-11 11:23 -0500
    Re: a doubt about c pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2011-06-11 13:56 -0400
      Re: a doubt about c "dr.oktopus" <blindwilly@freeonline.zzn.com> - 2011-06-11 12:53 -0700
        Re: a doubt about c Lew Pitcher <lpitcher@teksavvy.com> - 2011-06-11 16:01 -0400
        Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 13:07 -0700
        Re: a doubt about c Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-06-11 14:13 -0600
          Re: a doubt about c Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-06-11 23:31 +0100
            Re: a doubt about c pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2011-06-11 20:07 -0400
            Re: a doubt about c Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-06-11 23:05 -0600
      Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-11 16:42 -0500
        Re: a doubt about c "christian.bau" <christian.bau@cbau.wanadoo.co.uk> - 2011-06-11 14:23 -0700
          Re: a doubt about c Shao Miller <sha0.miller@gmail.com> - 2011-06-11 17:27 -0500
            Re: a doubt about c Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-06-11 15:42 -0700
  Re: a doubt about c Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-06-13 14:39 +0000

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