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Concepts of nature are always cultural statements. This may not strike Europeans as much of an insight, for Europe’s landscape is so much of a blend. But in the new worlds ― ‘new’ at least to Europeans ― the distinction appeared much clearer not only to European settlers and visitors but also to their descendants. Hence the fond conceit of primeval nature untrammelled by human associations which could later find expression in a reverence for wilderness.

Reference


I'm having trouble understanding "could".

I'd like to know if "could" is used to indicate that something was typically the case.

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  • You could have looked up this word in a dictionary. Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 4:39
  • @FeliniusRex This is a good question. The OP obviously knows what "could" normally means if they have no problem with "primeval", "untrammelled" "find expression" and "reverence". This is quite an odd usage of "could".
    – gotube
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 4:45
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    @Aaaaaaassssss It feels to me like a poetic way of saying "would" in the sense of "future of a past time", but after reading several times, it's not clear to me, a native speaker and life-long ESL teacher
    – gotube
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 4:46

2 Answers 2

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I agree with gotube's comment that this whole passage isn't easy to understand. As I read it carefully, I find myself questioning whether the author himself even knows what he is trying to say.

However, to answer your question about the use of "could": I don't think that word implies a situation which is typical or usually true. As Brad (and the dictionary) states, "could" just indicates a situation which is possible.

The last sentence in this quote has a lot of advanced and abstract words:

"Conceit" here means basically "idea". "Untrammeled by human associations" means (I think) essentially "un-spoiled by human civilization".

So the whole last sentence just says that the idea of nature's purity "could" (="was able to") evolve into reverence for wilderness.

The author isn't saying the first thing "typically" leads to the second, just that the first thing enables the second - makes it possible.

Sorry if this explanation is confusing. I hope it helps at least a little bit. The text itself is kind of abstract.

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    I'm not confident about the intended meaning of "could", but you might be closest to it with the "was able to" sense. If that's the case, it's a mistake because this sense of could can only be used to literally mean "have the ability", and NOT "successfully did something". For example, "When I was 20 I could swim 25 km without stopping" is correct, while, "Yesterday I could finally pass the IELTS exam" is incorrect.
    – gotube
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 19:03
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    @gotube : I think it's something like, "My English had improved so much because of my summer abroad that by September I could finally pass the IELTS exam." ... Could (and in fact did, which is clearly implied, but not explicitly part of the statement)
    – Lorel C.
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 23:22
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    Yep, I think that's about right. Still feels odd. Not worth learning from as an English student, IMO
    – gotube
    Commented Jun 14, 2021 at 20:44
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could is used to mean possibly,

Which may possibly find expression in a reverence for wilderness.

Ref C.E.D.


could; modal verb (POSSIBILITY); used to express possibility, especially slight or uncertain possibility:

A lot of crime could be prevented.

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    Citing a dictionary doesn't help the OP in this context, where the word is used oddly. They're obviously quite an advanced learner if "could" is the only part of that passage they had trouble with.
    – gotube
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 4:39
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    I would say that if they understand the rest of this then they would possibly, no definitely know how "could" is being used. But even assuming they did not; a fairly advanced learner would know that a typical is not a possibility! or visa versa. Therefore I have done more than just quoted the dictionary I have answered their question
    – Brad
    Commented Jun 12, 2021 at 5:46

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