 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006Doing the wrong thing from the right motive
Hello: Any modern alternatives for "from the right motive"? I am asking because it is found mainly in religious contexts and not that much in modern ones. ----- But the Beauforts were not exactly common; some people said they were even worse. Mrs. Beaufort belonged indeed to one of America's most honoured families; she had been the lovely Regina Dallas (of the South Carolina branch), a penniless beauty introduced to New York society by her cousin, the imprudent Medora Manson, who was always doing the wrong thing from the right motive. Wharton, Edith, The Age of Innocence, p. 22 http://www.bartleby.com/1005/3.html ----- Thank you. Marius Hancu > Any modern alternatives for "from the right motive"? > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > http://www.bartleby.com/1005/3.html > ----- Maybe "for the right reasons"?  SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." >>Any modern alternatives for "from the right motive"? >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Maybe "for the right reasons"? And I would have used "motives" rather than "motive". SignatureRob Bannister > dontbother wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >> > And I would have used "motives" rather than "motive". Back in the Old Days they had less than we do now, so perhaps there was only a single motive in Wharton's mind, or perhaps she was pointing out that her characters were narrow-minded? SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." >>>Maybe "for the right reasons"? >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > was only a single motive in Wharton's mind, or perhaps she was > pointing out that her characters were narrow-minded? Still, you automatically went for "reasons" rather than "reason". Perhaps they had less to do back in the Old Days. SignatureRob Bannister > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Thank you. > Marius Hancu The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason. TS Eliot - Moider in Da Cathedral SignatureJohn Dean Oxford > The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the > wrong reason. Nicely said:-) Yes, "for" is a good alternative indeed these days. Thank you both. Marius Hancu > John Dean wrote: > >> The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right >> deed for the wrong reason. > > Nicely said:-) I think you'll have to thank T. S. Eloit. But he's dead. > Yes, "for" is a good alternative indeed these days. > > Thank you both. SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." >> John Dean wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > I think you'll have to thank T. S. Eloit. But he's dead. Did you not notice the attribution in my post? But I think Marius was thanking me for regurgitating the quote, not Old Possum for writing it. SignatureJohn Dean Oxford > dontbother wrote: >>> John Dean wrote: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Did you not notice the attribution in my post? Yes, of course I did, which is why I knew it was Eliot (it's been too long since I last read that one to remember those lovely lines) but I thought that Marius had missed it. > But I think Marius was thanking me for regurgitating > the quote, not Old Possum for writing it. Could be, but I didn't read it that way. Damn this crazy language of ours! So vague, so ambiguous, so confusing. SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." >> dontbother wrote: >>>> John Dean wrote: [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Could be, but I didn't read it that way. Damn this crazy language of > ours! So vague, so ambiguous, so confusing. Ours? SignatureJohn Dean Oxford > dontbother wrote: >>> dontbother wrote: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Ours? Okay. Yours. SignatureFranke: EFL teacher & medical editor Native speaker of American English; posting from Taiwan. Unmunged email: /at/easypeasy.com "Impatience is the mother of misery." > > The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the > > wrong reason. > > Nicely said:-) > > Yes, "for" is a good alternative indeed these days. But note that, while you will find "for a motive", "from" is the better choice. "For a reason", "from a motive". Note also, in case you haven't already, that English distinguishes "motive" and "motif". While I'm at it, the Wagnerian "leit-motiv" is left untranslated. SignatureMike. > But the Beauforts were not exactly common; some people said they were > even worse. Mrs. Beaufort belonged indeed to one of America's most > honoured families; she had been the lovely Regina Dallas (of the South > Carolina branch), a penniless beauty introduced to New York society by > her cousin, the imprudent Medora Manson, who was always doing the > wrong thing from the right motive. A search at Google/Books gets 187 hits re "from the right motive" -- still a current usage IMO. Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego >Hello: > >Any modern alternatives for "from the right motive"? > >I am asking because it is found mainly in religious contexts and not >that much in modern ones. "in good conscience" CW >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > "in good conscience" ; or "with the best intentions". |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.