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Why "what you want"?

LingQ Forums - How to learn languages | Ask Your Tutor |
Question:Why "what you want"?
Lesson: Aesop's Fables, THE FOX AND THE CROW

Feb. 22, 2012, 10:18 p.m.

radiofumy
radiofumy IT
9 posts
Good night, I read the Aesop's Fable and I ask me for: why at the end of the text you find "what you want is wits" instead of "what you have not is wits" ?
Thanks a lot for answering

Feb. 22, 2012, 11:08 p.m.

Elric
Elric BR
117 posts
In this case, "want" means "to lack" (perhaps 'mancare' would be an appropriate Italian translation?). So the line's meaning is "what you lack is wits", or "what you're missing is wits".

Feb. 23, 2012, 8:05 a.m.

radiofumy
radiofumy IT
9 posts
Ok....thank you Elric

Feb. 23, 2012, 8:30 a.m.

Imyirtseshem
Imyirtseshem AU
1889 posts
Notice that this is now seen as an archaic use of the word 'want'. Now, it's generally always used to mean 'desire'.

Feb. 23, 2012, 7:59 p.m.

SanneT
SanneT GB
2982 posts
You don't want to say that, you want to say "in Britain it is still used in the form used in this sentence", especially by social bores....

Feb. 23, 2012, 8:17 p.m.

crowderd
crowderd GB
68 posts
SanneT - British English still confounds me! I'm really impressed with your English...I cannot tell by your writing that you are not completely native.

Feb. 23, 2012, 8:40 p.m.

SanneT
SanneT GB
2982 posts
Thank you! I am certainly more at home in the UK than in Germany. But to be totally honest, the way I used "want" in the example above, does not quite meet Aesop's 'want'.
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