There is no mother but loves her children.
There is scarcely a man but has a weak point.
I read these sentences, and I guess 'but' means 'who does not'.
Is it correct?
May I use 'but' as in the above sentences in formal writing?
asked Oct 25, 2015 at 3:43
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The use of "but" in the sense of "who doesn't" seems unidiomatic. "Why don't you use "who doesn't" instead?– KhanCommented Oct 25, 2015 at 5:11
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What is the source of these quotations?– JasperCommented Oct 25, 2015 at 15:06
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1 Answer
The usage of 'but' indicated in the question appears archaic and unusual. Therefore, such formulations might confuse a reader and get wrongly or poorly understood. They also might give an undesired impression of your writing style.
