# Swedish: "Vissa kanske inte ens vill...?"



## flacosueco

Hi, 

How can it be translated "Vissa kanske inte ens vill..." I found it in the following sentence: "Vissa kanske inte ens vill klara upp det?" And some help on how the sentence is constructed? thanks


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## rhitagawr

I think it means 'Perhaps certain people don't even want to sort it out' or 'Certain people may not even want to sort it out'. I can't see why 'vill' is in the 4th position grammatically, but perhaps a native speaker can enlighten me.


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## spruceroot

I would look at it like this. _Rhitagawr_'s translation is correct, but to make it easier you could translate it directly word for word. *"Vissa kanske inte ens vill..."* would then be *"Some people may not even want..."*

Vissa (människor) = Some/certain people
kanske = may
inte ens = not even
vill = want

So r_hitagawr _has just used a different word-order but it is equally correct.

I hope that helps!


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## kilton

Put me down as also wanting to know why _vill_ isn't placed immediately after _vissa_.


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## spruceroot

"Vill" could just as well be placed after vissa: *"Vissa vill kanske inte ens...". *It's the same thing. It would be weird in english though: "Some people want may not even..." 

I couldn't tell you why though as I don't know a whole lot about the theoretical grammar stuff.


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## timtfj

spruceroot said:


> kanske = may


OK, I haven't learnt Swedish. But from my rudimentary Swedish dictionary and what I know of Norwegian, that looks like the wrong English translation and I think it might be behind some of the confusion.

In Norwegian, _kanskje_ is an *adverb* meaning "maybe" or "perhaps". From my dictionary, _kanske_ is the Swedish equivalent. _May_ in English is a modal *verb* indicating things like permission and possibility. It's probably somewhere between Norwegian _å få_ and _å kunne.




_


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## timtfj

spruceroot said:


> "Vill" could just as well be placed after vissa: *"Vissa vill kanske inte ens...". *It's the same thing. It would be weird in english though: "Some people want may not even..."
> 
> I couldn't tell you why though as I don't know a whole lot about the theoretical grammar stuff.


"Some people want *perhaps* not even to . . . " is just about grammatical in English though, even if nobody would actually use it. ;-)


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## spruceroot

timtfj said:


> OK, I haven't learnt Swedish. But from my rudimentary Swedish dictionary and what I know of Norwegian, that looks like the wrong English translation and I think it might be behind some of the confusion.
> 
> In Norwegian, _kanskje_ is an *adverb* meaning "maybe" or "perhaps". From my dictionary, _kanske_ is the Swedish equivalent. _May_ in English is a modal *verb* indicating things like permission and possibility. It's probably somewhere between Norwegian _å få_ and _å kunne.
> 
> _



_Kanske_ is used for both in swedish. As an adverb the word "kanske" translates to "perhaps/maybe", but in this case it's used as a modal verb. The swedish translation to the modal verb "may" is "kanske" (along with a few others depending on the context).



timtfj said:


> "Some people want *perhaps* not even to . . . " is just about grammatical in English though, even if nobody would actually use it. ;-)



Oh really? That's interesting. It sounds very weird. You learn something every day.


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## timtfj

timtfj said:


> "Some people want *perhaps* not even to . . . " is just about grammatical in English though, even if nobody would actually use it. ;-)





spruceroot said:


> Oh really? That's interesting. It sounds very weird. You learn something every day.


It only just works. And it works better as "Some people want, perhaps, not even to . . . ", with the added commas.


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## timtfj

timtfj said:


> In Norwegian, _kanskje_ is an *adverb* meaning "maybe" or "perhaps". From my dictionary, _kanske_ is the Swedish equivalent. _May_ in English is a modal *verb* indicating things like permission and possibility. It's probably somewhere between Norwegian _å få_ and _å kunne._





spruceroot said:


> _Kanske_ is used for both in swedish. As an adverb the word "kanske" translates to "perhaps/maybe", but in this case it's used as a modal verb. The swedish translation to the modal verb "may" is "kanske" (along with a few others depending on the context).



Ah, OK. Interesting! And it makes sense of the structure of the word, too (presumably _kan ske _would literally mean "can happen"?)

This seems loosely similar to _maybe_ and _may be_  in English.


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## spruceroot

timtfj said:


> Ah, OK. Interesting! And it makes sense of the structure of the word, too (presumably _kan ske _would literally mean "can happen"?)
> 
> This seems loosely similar to _maybe_ and _may be_  in English.



Yes that's quite right! Kan ske = Can/may happen


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## JohanIII

I hear it very clearly spoken when I read it:

1) Vissa kanske inte ens vill klara upp det?
The voice is rising up until vill, with a pressure point on that word, and a slight pause after, meaning that it is the wanting to do it that is lacking in these people.

2) Vissa vill kanske inte ens klara upp det?
Here the same rising (though probably less explosive), up until klara upp det, with even pressure on that whole last part, mening that it is this last part that is lacking.

Not a big difference, but the focus is a bit different, and 1) would be the more common focus, and also would be the rhethoric variant. Perhaps 2) would be an, as stated, less explosive, more courteous way, perhaps used in a TV sofa (as Swedes are less prone to conflict  ).

Though 2) could be made to equal 1) by putting pressure-pause on vill, but the short lead-up would seriously hamper pressure build-up ("sprain-a-vein").

Also 1) would need that a "klara upp det" had been introduced earlier in the conversation.
If not, use 2a.


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## Lugubert

JohanIII said:


> 1) Vissa kanske inte ens vill klara upp det?
> The voice is rising up until vill, with a pressure point on that word, and a slight pause after, meaning that it is the wanting to do it that is lacking in these people.


Totally agree. By keeping "vill klara upp det" together, it's more obvious that any wish to clear the matters in question is doubted. To me, 2) feels more like a general lack of intention.


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## Wilma_Sweden

Lugubert said:


> Totally agree. By keeping "vill klara upp det" together, it's more obvious that any wish to clear the matters in question is doubted. To me, 2) feels more like a general lack of intention.


I agree, but i sense a clear focus on Vissa in 2), as in (loosely interpreted) 'some people - we know who, don't we? - may entertain a wish to sweep this one under the carpet'


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