Comment on Progress

DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

• athatet@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  The quote works either way. People just need to fuckin chill.

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  • usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    It “works” in that we know what he meant, but it literally doesn’t work without the “a”.

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    • Ziglin@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      ‘Man’ is often used in the same way as ‘mankind’ which is how I’ve usually seen the quote interpreted. Clearly the preposition ‘a’ makes a very big difference but it still makes sense.

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      • usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

        ‘Man’ is often used in the same way as ‘mankind’

        Yes, which is why without the “a” doesn’t work. He wasn’t saying “A small step for mankind, one giant leap for mankind” because that’s nonsensical.

        He was saying he (a man) was literally taking a step with his leg, but it was a figuratively large step for the species because of where/how he was taking that step.

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      • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

        “a” is an indefinite article, not a preposition. Prepositions are how a verb relates to an indirect object. “The bunny hopped over the fence, around a tree, and down a hole.” The italicized words in this sentence are prepositions. In, on, at, near, etc… You get the idea…

        Anyway, the quote is kinda contradictory without the “a”. Is it a small step or a giant leap? Oh, it’s a giant leap for mankind, and a small step for a man. Makes so much sense now.

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• wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  It suddenly makes so much more sense now…

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