a long time dead

[soumet]

The following sentence is from a preview in my textbook.

Be happy while you`re living, for you`re a long time dead.

It`s hard to understand the latter part of this sentence. Does

it mean, `..., for you will be dead for a long time.` ?

It is equally strange to say , `..., for you`re dead for a long time`.

What do you think? Thank you.

 

[Simon Hwang]

So happy to see this sentence in English, for I have probobaly read the Chinese version.

In my opinion, this sentence empathizes that the time-period we live is much shorter compared with the time-period after we are dead. SO just cherish every moment when you are alive.

I hope that I have made myself understood.

 

[Joelline]

I have heard the sentence in a slightly different form: Be happy while you`re alive, for you'll be a long time dead.

It is, I believe, a form of understatement: You won't just be "a long time dead," you'll be forever dead!

 

[Schmoopy]

Just a quick note, you should stick to using speech marks for quotes like this "text goes here", instead of `, as it's not a symbol commonly used in the English language, you probably meant the apostrophe ' instead.

So...

Be happy while you`re living, for you`re a long time dead.

Translates to:

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.

 

[soumet]

Just a quick note, you should stick to using speech marks for quotes like this "text goes here", instead of `, as it's not a symbol commonly used in the English language, you probably meant the apostrophe ' instead.

So...

Be happy while you`re living, for you`re a long time dead.

Translates to:

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.

Thank you for pointing out my spelling mistake. It's just a matter of
convenience. It's a bad typing habit. Sorry for my laziness.

 

[Schmoopy]

Ah, well it's just a good habit to get into hehe

But it is quite important at the same time, ` doesn't really mean anything and I don't think I've seen it used in a sentence before, but I understand since you may have a different keyboard it's more convenient to press the tilda key. I just wanted to make sure you knew the difference between them.

 

[soumet]

I have heard the sentence in a slightly different form: Be happy while you`re alive, for you'll be a long time dead.

It is, I believe, a form of understatement: You won't just be "a long time dead," you'll be forever dead!

I was asked why it is the present tense in the latter part of the
sentence. I think it will be more grammatically correct to use the
future tense, using " will" construction. Thank you for the explanation.

 

[soumet]

Ah, well it's just a good habit to get into hehe

But it is quite important at the same time, ` doesn't really mean anything and I don't think I've seen it used in a sentence before, but I understand since you may have a different keyboard it's more convenient to press the tilda key. I just wanted to make sure you knew the difference between them.

Thank you. I get it.

 

[soumet]

So happy to see this sentence in English, for I have probobaly read the Chinese version.

In my opinion, this sentence empathizes that the time-period we live is much shorter compared with the time-period after we are dead. SO just cherish every moment when you are alive.

I hope that I have made myself understood.

That's my best guess as well. But what bothers me is the
tense used in the latter part of this sentence. Thank you for
your reply.

 

[mplsray]

That's my best guess as well. But what bothers me is the
tense used in the latter part of this sentence. Thank you for
your reply.

Your sentence was: "Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead."

This is, I think, an example of the notional future. "Our plane leaves tomorrow" is an example of the notional future, since it is a sentence using the present tense in reference to a future event. In your sentence, the clause "for you're a long time dead" uses the present tense to refer to a future state.

 

[Simon Hwang]

That's my best guess as well. But what bothers me is the
tense used in the latter part of this sentence. Thank you for
your reply.

For the tense-dilemena, I am quite agree with mplsray