Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
biology knows variability and mutations
English answer:
variability and mutations are an intrinsic part of biology
Added to glossary by
veratek
Mar 27, 2008 08:20
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
biology knows
English
Science
Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-)
grammar
An adherent of biology in its broadest meaning, he makes a principal mistake here. He forgets that biology knows variability and mutations. Which means, children don't always take after their parents, no matter how talented their parents might be.
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise if it's really OK to put the phrase this way. Does it sound natural enough? Being no NES myself, I'm not really sure...
I'll appreciate any suggestions.
Dear native English speakers!
Please advise if it's really OK to put the phrase this way. Does it sound natural enough? Being no NES myself, I'm not really sure...
I'll appreciate any suggestions.
Responses
Change log
Mar 30, 2008 05:54: veratek Created KOG entry
Responses
+3
2 hrs
English term (edited):
that biology knows variability and mutations
Selected
that variability and mutations are an intrinsic part of biology
that variability and mutations are a part of biology
that variability and mutations are inherent to biology
Peer comment(s):
agree |
KathyT
: very nice
36 mins
|
Thanks Kathy.
|
|
agree |
Shera Lyn Parpia
: yes, this one is definitely it!
1 hr
|
Thank you.
|
|
agree |
Maria Chmelarova
4 hrs
|
Thanks.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I do like your version, thank you very much for your help! Thanks everybody!!!"
+5
5 mins
biology involves
While it's true that "mother nature" is often invoked as a sentient being, and hence "mother nature knows" would not raise any eyebrows, "biology knows" sounds distinctly odd to me. This is one suggestion which would sound more natural, but others might come up with something even better.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Jack Doughty
27 mins
|
agree |
Armorel Young
43 mins
|
agree |
Cynthia Plac (X)
: for a conservatively-styled text, this is certainly an option
55 mins
|
agree |
kmtext
: This would be my choice. The original construction is a bit awkward though.
1 hr
|
agree |
Alexandra Tussing
18 hrs
|
+3
6 mins
Mother nature knows best
I think we are more accustomed to this phrase, implicating that some things are beyond our rational thoughts.
Example sentence:
It should rain tomorrow, but Mother nature knows best.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
KathyT
: my thoughts, too.
9 mins
|
I agree with this term.
|
|
agree |
pierre81
5 hrs
|
agree |
Alexandra Tussing
18 hrs
|
+2
22 mins
biology also encompasses
The corrected version. Thank you Marie-Hélène!
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Marie-Hélène Hayles
: you're welcome!
11 mins
|
agree |
Reza Mohammadnia
6 days
|
Thank you Reza!
|
+1
52 mins
biology knows (it's fine as it is)
quite simply, the author is personifying biology, as if to say 'biology is well aware that it can use variability and mutations'. It's a strange collocation, but works fine, especially if the author is being ironic or cutting, which seems likely here
Peer comment(s):
agree |
veratek
: my take as well - personification - but it does depend if the text allows for such manipulations
1 hr
|
thanks vera
|
4 hrs
comment
I agree with the idea of 'biology encompasses' in this context. 'Biology knows' sounds like a literal traslation of the German phrase 'Die Biologie kennt X', which may exist in Russian as well and which generally means that X is closely associated with biology or is an attribute or feature of biology.
Although it is possible to use 'know' in a personalised construction such as 'biology knows', it normally has the sense of 'recognises', and it is often used in a negative construction (e.g. 'literature knows no limits to personal expression').
Although it is possible to use 'know' in a personalised construction such as 'biology knows', it normally has the sense of 'recognises', and it is often used in a negative construction (e.g. 'literature knows no limits to personal expression').
Discussion