Feb 1, 2012 10:22
12 yrs ago
English term
Sweden
Services from the Heart
Native in: Polish (Variant: Standard-Poland)
Works in: English to Polish, Polish, Dutch to Polish
"would" here
Non-PRO
English
Art/Literary
Linguistics
usage of "would"
In this text for a song:
"We died half-way down
Where freedom would be found
The heart would be crowned
To live to rule here down on earth"
Is "would" used properly or should it be replaced with "should"? The aimed meaning here is sth. like "We've died half way down, where freedom would (or should) have been found all the way down". A Canadian native whom I asked wants to change it to "should" while a British native says "would" is alright... So I ask here hoping for a professional clarification. Thank you.
"We died half-way down
Where freedom would be found
The heart would be crowned
To live to rule here down on earth"
Is "would" used properly or should it be replaced with "should"? The aimed meaning here is sth. like "We've died half way down, where freedom would (or should) have been found all the way down". A Canadian native whom I asked wants to change it to "should" while a British native says "would" is alright... So I ask here hoping for a professional clarification. Thank you.
Responses
| 5 +2 | would |
Melanie Nassar
|
Responses
+2
2 hrs
Melanie Nassar
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
dedicated, prompt, accurate
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, English, English to German, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
would
I like would better than should here. I take it this is not a translation from another language that needs to convey a particular meaning. Of course, you have great poetic license for a song anyway.
The differences between would and should are really too complicated to get into here and both can be used for the past tense or conditional, so it's really a matter of personal preference, and mine (US native speaker) is for would.
"We died have way down where freedom *would* be found" means something like we died half way, before getting to freedom, whereas with *should* it sounds to me something like we died half way before getting to where freedom was supposed to be.
The differences between would and should are really too complicated to get into here and both can be used for the past tense or conditional, so it's really a matter of personal preference, and mine (US native speaker) is for would.
"We died have way down where freedom *would* be found" means something like we died half way, before getting to freedom, whereas with *should* it sounds to me something like we died half way before getting to where freedom was supposed to be.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you very much."
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