Is this grammar valid: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac
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0
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This statement here:
I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
seems off to me regarding grammar. Is it not supported to be why instead of what?
grammar
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
This statement here:
I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
seems off to me regarding grammar. Is it not supported to be why instead of what?
grammar
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
2
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it aswhyand therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers
– pnizzle
44 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
This statement here:
I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
seems off to me regarding grammar. Is it not supported to be why instead of what?
grammar
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
This statement here:
I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
seems off to me regarding grammar. Is it not supported to be why instead of what?
grammar
grammar
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
edited 52 mins ago
John Lawler
84k6116327
84k6116327
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
asked 1 hour ago
pnizzle
1203
1203
2
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it aswhyand therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers
– pnizzle
44 mins ago
add a comment |
2
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it aswhyand therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers
– pnizzle
44 mins ago
2
2
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it as
why and therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers– pnizzle
44 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it as
why and therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers– pnizzle
44 mins ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
It depends on the context, which you have not provided.
If you are questioning the necessity of making something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea why you need to make it work on a Mac.
If you are questioning what tools or methods are required to make something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
It depends on the context, which you have not provided.
If you are questioning the necessity of making something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea why you need to make it work on a Mac.
If you are questioning what tools or methods are required to make something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
It depends on the context, which you have not provided.
If you are questioning the necessity of making something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea why you need to make it work on a Mac.
If you are questioning what tools or methods are required to make something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
It depends on the context, which you have not provided.
If you are questioning the necessity of making something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea why you need to make it work on a Mac.
If you are questioning what tools or methods are required to make something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
It depends on the context, which you have not provided.
If you are questioning the necessity of making something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea why you need to make it work on a Mac.
If you are questioning what tools or methods are required to make something work on a Mac, then it should be written: I have no idea what you need to make it work on a Mac.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
answered 1 hour ago
Drakon007
853
853
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Jeez, its only making sense to me now. I absolutely missed the meaning in that statement. Wow hahaha, will mark this as correct answer after a few minutes. My actions seem to still be controlled. Cheers
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
Don't be too downhearted, @pnizzle: it is a bit like a garden-path sentence: if you misread "what" as "why", then it has a different parse until that fails, and you might easily miss the right parse, as you did.
– Colin Fine
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2
It’s definitely not correct unless you correct “an a Mac” to be “on a Mac” as it’s supposed to be.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
1 hour ago
That there is another typo I did not notice. Kudos to you sir/madam.
– pnizzle
1 hour ago
That's a different question altogether. With what, the infinitive to make it work on a Mac is interpreted as in order to make it work on a Mac -- a purpose infinitive. So it's asking what is necessary to bring that off -- new compiler, new source code, different app altogether -- whereas why asks for a reason to make it work on a Mac, instead of a resource search.
– John Lawler
49 mins ago
@JohnLawler you are right. Draken has pointed me to the two possible, and both correct intentions in the statement. I had read it as
whyand therefore placed myself in that box, and didn't realise the other meaning, which was the intended meaning as a matter of fact. Cheers– pnizzle
44 mins ago