There's a (famous according to Google) quote by the German-Jewish poet Berthold Auerbach:
Music is a universal language, and needs not be translated. With it soul speaks to soul.
Is the quote grammatically correct?
-
If Auerbach made the statement in English, his exact words must be quoted, regardless of grammar. However, if he made the statement in another language, that original statement must be quoted -- in the original language -- with an optional translation. Auerbach is of course not responsible for the translation or any errors of the translator. Rather, the person doing the quoting is responsible for the translation and its errors, and must not represent them as the original words of Auerbach.– John LawlerCommented Oct 8, 2013 at 19:36
-
The question of how to deal with quoting a grammatical error has been covered before. More than once, actually. It is sort of general knowledge, too, as the sic is pretty much universal across all languages. However, this particular quote is grammatical as stated. Lastly, the question "does it make you chuckle" is plain off-topic here. But for the record: no. It does not.– RegDwigнtCommented Oct 8, 2013 at 19:59
-
So be it. Let the record show, it does not.– GreaseMonkeyCommented Oct 8, 2013 at 20:03
-
Why would you think it may not be grammatically correct? What exactly did you find wrong in it? This is an open question that will lend itself to speculation and opinions. Have you tried to verify its grammaticality? What have you found? It's only natural that the question is closed as being nowhere. No offense.– KrisCommented Oct 17, 2013 at 6:44
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
The quote is not ungrammatical. It does, however, some some archaic constructions which are no longer heard in modern English.
The main stickler is this bit:
Music... needs not be translated.
The phrasing "needs not" is no longer used in contemporary English, but in a literary register it is an acceptable variant for "does not need".
An additional wrinkle is that many speakers prefer to drop the -s when using this construction, treating the verb need as a modal auxiliary. This would give:
Music... need not be translated.
The latter is somewhat more common, but both constructions are well-attested. For a bonus, here is the N-gram chart comparing "need not" with "needs not" since 1830:
As the chart shows, in the early 1800's both variants are reasonably common, though even then the variant with needs is much less popular. As time goes on the needs variant becomes increasingly less common, because do-support for negation becomes more and more exceptionless. The need variant survives somewhat better due to its analysis as a modal auxiliary.
-
+1 and throwing in a link to a COCA query that has cites for "needs not be", "needs not purchase", "needs not affect" from academic sources, and a "needs not swing" from USA Today. Commented Oct 8, 2013 at 20:15
It seems charitable, generous, broad-minded to correct the grammar in writing - of course not the meaning - of a quotation from a foreigner who tried to express himself in English.
Especially for this quotation : of course it is faulty from an academic point of view ; but is it not a great idea, and perfectly understandable when heard ?
It is what BBC's underlines do.
Would you prefer to hear a language you don't understand, and need an interpreter ?
Won't you expect the same, when in a foreign country ?
-
Since we are being charitable, I will assume that by 'academic' you meant 'technical', since it is precisely academics who would understand there is nothing wrong with the grammar. But what are "BBC's underlines"? More to the point, when the question is "Is the quote grammatically correct?", responding "It's a profound idea, and understandable when heard" isn't helpful. Commented Oct 8, 2013 at 22:45
-
-
Yes sub-title is more common, but in British English, underline has also the same meaning. Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 3:12
-
I for one have never heard anyone, British or otherwise, use ‘underline’ to mean ‘subtitle’, and I cannot find that sense in any dictionaries either—do you have a source for it? Commented Oct 17, 2013 at 10:26