Does "he can't say that about" refer to "he can't have such good judgement"?

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(The good judgement refers to the underlined words in the context below)

Context:

Now, when I tell him that I love something he has written, he knows that I love it. He also knows that I respect his talent enough to tell him when I don't. I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about. Why would I want to be one of them?

-Sam Harris Lying

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 603 • Replies: 16

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View best answer, chosen by oristarA

@oristarA,

I respect his talent enough to tell him when I don't. I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about.

1 Reply

@Tes yeux noirs,

Tes yeux noirs wrote:

I respect his talent enough to tell him when I don't. I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about.

Thanks.
Why put "about" there? Could we remove "about" and the meaning remains the same? Does "he can't say that about" share the same meaning with "he can't say about that"? Does "say" here mean "know"?

2 Replies

You need 'about' or 'of'. It wouldn't make sense otherwise.

1 Reply

@oristarA,

No.

___

He is talking about honesty.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

Quote:

Does "he can't say that about" share the same meaning with "he can't say about that"

No. He cannot say [that thing that he said] about me/you/him/her.

Quote:

Does "say" here mean "know"?

No. He cannot [truthfully] say [whatever] about some people.

1 Reply

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

Why put "about" there? Could we remove "about" and the meaning remains the same? Does "he can't say that about" share the same meaning with "he can't say about that"? Does "say" here mean "know"?

1. it completes the phrase
2. no
3. no
4. not really

0 Replies

@Tes yeux noirs,

Tes yeux noirs wrote:

Quote:
Does "he can't say that about" share the same meaning with "he can't say about that"

No. He cannot say [that thing that he said] about me/you/him/her.

It seems to me not consistent with your previous reply:

Quote:

I respect his talent enough to tell him when I don't. I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about.

. So I'm still confused by the question.

I think I may get it one by one.
First, in the context I offered in the first post, "about who"? (Here you give the example of "about me/you/him/her"; this makes me hard to understand)

1 Reply

@Tes yeux noirs,

Quote:

You need 'about' or 'of'. It wouldn't make sense otherwise

.

But not necessarily in that order, eh?

Quote:

“From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.” (Churchill)

It's a joke, Oris, in case you might think otherwise (which I doubt).

0 Replies

@oristarA,

Quote:

So I'm still confused by the question

Let's simplify it, and try it a different way.

Some people will be honest with you (for whatever reason--perhaps because they "respect your talent").

Some people will not be honest with you (again, for whatever reason).

Are people honest with you? Some are, some aren't.

So there are some you can say that about (that they're honest with you), and some that you can't say that about.

That help?

2 Replies

@layman,

layman wrote:

Quote:
So I'm still confused by the question

Let's simplify it, and try it a different way.

Some people will be honest with you (for whatever reason--perhaps because they "respect your talent").

Some people will not be honest with you (again, for whatever reason).

Are people honest with you? Some are, some aren't.

So there are some you can say that about (that they're honest with you), and some that you can't say that about.

That help?

Helped!

(In the context, "that I respect his talent enough...")

Thank you all guys.

0 Replies

@layman,

Excellent!

1 Reply

@InfraBlue,

InfraBlue wrote:

Excellent!

Yes. But can you explain why there are "that"s:

you can say that about (that they're honest with you)?
And why "say about that" is not exactly the same?

2 Replies

@oristarA,

Quote:

I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about

Now you ask:

Quote:

Yes. But can you explain why there are "that"s:....And why "say about that" is not exactly the same? (as "say that about")

Here the friend is the one presumed to be doing the talking (saying), which amounts to making a judgment.

He is saying something about "that" (hypothetical person). Actually, the way the sentence is structured, he is REFRAINING from saying that (honesty) about "that" (person). Whatever he says (or doesn't say) pertains to (is "about") that person.

With that in mind, try it this way:

"I am sure there are people in his life he can't say about that." It just doesn't make sense now. It's all too ill-defined and ambiguous.

1 Reply

@layman,

layman wrote:

Quote:
I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about

Now you ask:

Quote:

Yes. But can you explain why there are "that"s:....And why "say about that" is not exactly the same? (as "say that about")

Here the friend is the one presumed to be doing the talking (saying), which amounts to making a judgment.

He is saying something about "that" (hypothetical person). Actually, the way the sentence is structured, he is REFRAINING from saying that (honesty) about "that" (person). Whatever he says (or doesn't say) pertains to (is "about") that person.

With that in mind, try it this way:

"I am sure there are people in his life he can't say about that." It just doesn't make sense now. It's all too ill-defined and ambiguous.

So "that I respect his talent enough to tell him when I don't. I am sure there are people in his life he can't say that about"

So "about" here refers to "about them (the people)"?

1 Reply

@oristarA,

Quote:

So "about" here refers to "about them (the people)"?

Yeah, exactly. That's the only way I know how to read it, anyhow.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

Try reading it this way:

He can't say that about (certain/some) people that are in his life, I'm sure.

The only difference is the word order and the addition of "certain" or "some" for exactness that's implied in the way he arranged the sentence originally.

0 Replies

Does "he can't say that about" refer to "he can't have such good judgement"?

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