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engineering was engineering
a comma

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

knew it was done

English answer:

knew it as a standard practice

Added to glossary by updownK
Oct 8, 2019 02:34
4 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term

it was done

Non-PRO English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Context:
The two men walked over to the golem. There was some muted conversation, and then it knelt down and they unscrewed the top of its head.
Moist stared in horror. He knew *it was done*, of course, but it was shocking to see it happening. There was some rummaging around that he couldn’t make out, and then the cranium was replaced, with a little pottery noise.
‘Sorry to have disturbed you, sir,’ said Drumknott, and the clerks left.
Mr Pump stayed on his knees for a moment, and then rose slowly. The red eyes focused on Moist, and the golem stuck out his hand.
‘I Do Not Know What A Pleasure Is, But I Am Sure That If I Did, Then Working With You Would Have Been One,’ he said. ‘Now I Must Leave You. I Have Another Task.’
‘You’re not my, er, parole officer any more?’ said Moist, taken aback.
‘Correct.’

More context, please click:
https://archive.org/stream/TheNewDiscworldCompanion/Book 33 ...
--quoted from Going Postal (2004, fantasy fiction) by Terry Pratchett

After the golem had finished its job (watching Moist), the two clerks came to change the controlling part (perhaps a scroll) in its head.
I’m not sure whether “it was done” means the golem’s job was finished, or the action (unscrewing the top of its head) was done.
If the former is the case, it seems to make no sense that Moist was “taken aback” when he heard the golem was not his parole officer any more (second to the last sentence in my quote).
Thank you!
Responses
5 +4 see explanation
3 +5 He knew that it could be done, but it was still shocking to watch.
5 +2 He knew that this was a practice that was carried out.
4 +2 It referred to unscrewing his head and replacng the cranium
4 -2 he cannot believe that finally it is over

Responses

+4
4 hrs
Selected

see explanation

He knew it was something that was known to be done in that situation, perhaps even a "standard practice".
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M
12 mins
Thank you.
agree Yvonne Gallagher : this is, of course, what it means. "knew it was done"=knew it as a standard practice. (BTW not supposed to use "see explanation")//well, it's for glossary reasons
2 hrs
Thank you (including for the slap on the wrist :))
agree B D Finch
2 hrs
Thank you
agree Ebrahim Mohammed
16 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you! I've changed the term for glossary entry."
+2
59 mins

It referred to unscrewing his head and replacng the cranium

I believe this really referred to unscrewing his head and replacing the part. This must be an unpleasant sight to see and these words are in the middle of the description how it was done.
Note from asker:
Thank you for your suggestion!
Peer comment(s):
agree Natalia Postrigan
2 mins
agree MarieRC
1 hr
agree Roberta Broccoletti
2 hrs
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : no, not exactly
6 hrs
disagree AJ Ablooglu : If we read only the above paragraph one might think that the author is referring to the mechanical process. If we read the book I personally think that Moist is surprised because he is free now and he cannot believe that finally the ordeal is over!
6 hrs
I haven't read the book, but he started in horror. That's what i would feel when seeing someone's brain open 😀
Something went wrong...
+5
1 hr

He knew that it could be done, but it was still shocking to watch.

It sounds to me like "it was done" here is not the idiomatic expression ("the deed was done"), but a part of "he knew it was done", meaning, he knew it was possible to open the golem's head and replace the cranium, but it was still quite shocking to see it with his own eyes.
Note from asker:
Thank you for your suggestion!
Peer comment(s):
agree Tony M : In fact knew 'it was done' really means 'this sort of thing happened'.
2 hrs
agree Sheila Wilson
4 hrs
agree B D Finch : Agree with Tony's comment above, i.e. it means that unscrewing the head of a golem was quite a normal thing that people did.
6 hrs
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : it is an idiomatic expression and this is not the meaning//Are you actually giving me a lecture about an English expression???
6 hrs
Yvonne, you need to understand that sometimes the same words that form an idiomatic expression can also have very literal meaning, eg “to fall off the wagon” sometimes means literally falling off an actual cart. Before you say, consider the context.
agree NancyLynn : certainly fits this context, exactly as Tony paraphrased it.
9 hrs
agree philgoddard
1 day 22 mins
Something went wrong...
-2
7 hrs

he cannot believe that finally it is over

Mr. Lipvig (aka Moist) was not happy when Lord Vetinari put the golem (Pump 19) as his parole officer. He was uneasy of its presence, and in fact he couldn’t even sleep in its presence (earlier in the text he says this).

If we read only the above paragraph one might think that the author is referring to the mechanical process. However if we read the book and reach to the climax of this moment I personally have the feeling that in fact Mr. Lipvig cannot believe in his eyes that he finally got the trust of Lord Vetinari, whom says in a several paragraph before
“…What do you mean, sir?” said Moist. He knew his face betrayed nothing. Vetinari sat back. “Well done, Mr. Lipwig.”

Bottom line
It has been a long time for Mr. Lipvig to work under the supervision of the golem, and the golem is now leaving. That is way Moist is surprised and shocked (taken aback), because he is free now and he cannot believe that finally it is over!


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Note added at 7 hrs (2019-10-08 10:26:03 GMT)
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That is why Moist is surprised and shocked (taken aback), because he is free now and he cannot believe that finally it is over! (sorry for the spelling error)

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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-10-08 10:51:44 GMT)
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My personal view with respect to others:
I wonder what is more important?
Above paragraph is a narrow glimpse to a book. Shouldn’t we take into account the whole book? Or should we just focus on the above paragraph?
In technicality the above explanations for this given single paragraph could all be correct. If so then the whole story behind that single paragraph is lost.
Note from asker:
Thank you for your detailed research and explanation! I thought this over and over, and finally decided that knowing"it was done" should not include knowing the golem finishing his job as parole officer. Otherwise, "taken back" (later again) will be unnatural.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Yvonne Gallagher : no sorry, not what it means//No. No need to read any further here.
3 mins
If we read only the above paragraph one might think that the author is referring to the mechanical process. However if we read the book and reach to the climax of this moment I personally think that Moist is surprised and shocked, because he is free now a
disagree Tony M : Does not fit with the ample context here — in particular, the 'of course' is a major clue. This is not Macbeth " 'Tis done!" / You are welcome to think what you like, but as a native speaker, I can assure you that's not what the EN here says.
17 mins
If we read only the above paragraph one might think that the author is referring to the mechanical process. If we read the book I personally think that Moist is surprised because he is free now and he cannot believe that finally the ordeal is over!
Something went wrong...
+2
11 hrs

He knew that this was a practice that was carried out.

Golems are controlled by the "chem" inside their heads. When they need what might be seen as reprogramming, the chem has to be changed. So this practice happens from time to time and it is not something that is normally seen to be happening, which I why Moist reacts as he does.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2019-10-08 13:56:58 GMT)
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which is why, of course...
Note from asker:
Thank you!
Peer comment(s):
agree Charlotte Fleming
3 mins
Thank you.
agree Tony M
20 mins
Thank you.
Something went wrong...
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