Breakdown of De verwachte winstmarge is eigenlijk niet onrealistisch.
zijn
to be
niet
not
verwachten
to expect
eigenlijk
actually
de winstmarge
the profit margin
onrealistisch
unrealistic
Questions & Answers about De verwachte winstmarge is eigenlijk niet onrealistisch.
What is the effect of using the double negative niet onrealistisch instead of just saying realistisch?
This is a rhetorical device called litotes. By negating the negative prefix (on-) with niet, the speaker is actually making a strong affirmation. It implies that the profit margin is very achievable, and it is usually used to deliberately counter someone else's doubt or surprise.
How does the word eigenlijk affect the tone of this sentence?
Eigenlijk means "actually" or "in fact." In this context, it shows that the speaker is correcting a prior assumption. It implies that at first glance, the margin might have looked too high or impossible, but upon taking a closer look, it is surprisingly feasible.
Why does verwachte get an -e ending while onrealistisch does not?
Verwachte is an attributive adjective (placed right before the noun winstmarge), so it gets the standard -e ending. Onrealistisch is a predicative adjective (it comes after the verb is to describe the subject), and predicative adjectives never get an -e ending in Dutch.
Why is verwachte spelled with a single t, even though the past tense verb form is verwachtte?
When a past participle like verwacht is used as an adjective, you simply add the -e ending to the participle itself. Unlike the past tense verb (which adds -te to the verb stem), the adjective spelling follows standard Dutch spelling rules and doesn't double the t, resulting in verwachte.
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