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foxdna OP t1_itioqzg wrote

Reply to comment by thecaledonianrose in The way people speak in The Count of Monte Cristo. Can someone explain? by foxdna

It’s also just the choice of words and how they are arranged.

Ex: “oh my dear albert, what vexes you?” pray i entreat you to answer me…” lol

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Glitz-1958 t1_itjoz1j wrote

You happen to have picked on a French formula that's still used in formal letter writing. Je vous prie... I pray you to excuse me, or whatever. Je vous en prie... Is translated thank you but the formula is roughly more like I pray you.

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DifficultyWithMyLife t1_itiwcl8 wrote

"Pray I entreat you to answer me" does seem unnecessary. Why ask a question otherwise?

And before anyone mentions rhetorical questions - like my own above - I think those are generally implicitly understood to be rhetorical based on context. I doubt people didn't understand that concept back then, so I do wonder why they would say that, specifically.

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foxdna OP t1_itiwj07 wrote

They didnt! i made that up as an example bc I didnt have one readily available from the book. LOL

Shows my ignorance..

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Thelmara t1_itm3h2b wrote

> "Pray I entreat you to answer me" does seem unnecessary. Why ask a question otherwise?

It's just an intensifier. "Hey man, what's got you so down? Please, tell me what's going on!" You don't need the second sentence, but it changes the tone, adds urgency or insistence to the initial request, or helps characterize the person you're asking as not being forthcoming.

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