have the windows blown.
- Thread starter mimi2
- Start date
No, it doesn't mean "to possess."
"All the shops had their windows blown out" means "The windows of all the shops were blown out."
Other examples:
I had my questions answered by experts in the field.
I had my car stolen last month.
Clearer?
"All the shops had their windows blown out" means "The windows of all the shops were blown out."
Other examples:
I had my questions answered by experts in the field.
I had my car stolen last month.
Clearer?
mimi2 said:Please explain the structure "have the windows blown". Does "have" mean "possess" or anything else? I am confused
"All the shops had their windows blown out by the the gas explosion."
Thanks.
I would say this is "to have" used as a modal with "to blow out" to make the past perfect tense, in the passive voice.
The gas explosion had blown out all the shops' windows. <== the same sentence with the active voice, a single (modal?) verb tense.
Interestingly, once you switch to the active voice, it becomes clear that a better way to word it is with the simple past:
The gas explosion blew out all the shops' windows.
This is an interesting exercise because it shows how we can take a very simple statement, and work it into an incredibly complex, convoluted sentence with says effectively the same thing. And we do it all the time. I'm not entirely sure why, although it may be in an effort to sound better educated in our writing. I personally prefer simple direct statements in my non-fiction.
I think I understand the confusion a bit. To have does mean to possess sometimes, for example "I have a car" -> I own/possess a car.
The thing is though that to have in its various forms has many different ways in which it can be used. And often they are have no definition. It is one of those situations where you can't literally translate word for word, i'm afraid.
Sorry but I have to do this, I can't help myself:
"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"
The thing is though that to have in its various forms has many different ways in which it can be used. And often they are have no definition. It is one of those situations where you can't literally translate word for word, i'm afraid.
Sorry but I have to do this, I can't help myself:"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"
Going back to your earlier point, Mimi, I understand your confusion.
"To have someone do something" can indeed mean "to arrange for someone to do something (whether or not you ask him)."
In fact, my sample sentence "I had my car stolen last month" is actually ambiguous. It could theoretically mean that I arranged for my car to be stolen. We'd need more context to determine what is meant (even though this second meaning is highly unlikely!).
However, it doesn't always mean this. As you said, obviously a shop can't arrange for its windows to be blown out. That's why in this case it just means that this is what happened to the windows.
"To have someone do something" can indeed mean "to arrange for someone to do something (whether or not you ask him)."
In fact, my sample sentence "I had my car stolen last month" is actually ambiguous. It could theoretically mean that I arranged for my car to be stolen. We'd need more context to determine what is meant (even though this second meaning is highly unlikely!).
However, it doesn't always mean this. As you said, obviously a shop can't arrange for its windows to be blown out. That's why in this case it just means that this is what happened to the windows.
Such services could certainly be arranged in most parts of the world, in order to defraud the insurance company or other compensation authority, but that is of course illegal.elroy said:
panjandrum said:
Oops - yet again you've managed to point out an ambiguity overlooked by me.
By "shop" I meant the actual physical building or establishment, not the owners thereof.
(This, I think, is why Mimi was confused.)