John says “Mary couldn’t ever feel a thing”.
What does it mean?
John says that in the past Mary had no ability to feel.
OR
John says that in the present he doubts that Mary has no ability to feel ?
As Torsten said, it’s not completely clear what the person meant. Some context might clarify it.
Mary couldn’t feel a thing.
This is in the past. It might refer to a specific time or event, or it could be ongoing. The context would clarify which one.
For example: Mary had an operation and was under anesthesia. So she couldn’t feel a thing during the operation. ( a specific event )
Mary had an accident that injured her spinal cord. After that she couldn’t feel a thing. (ongoing)
Mary couldn’t ever feel a thing.
This is an awkward way of saying it. This might imply that this was literally true for her entire life. More likely it’s hyperbole meaning it was very long lasting but not her entire life.
Another option is that it’s regional dialect in the US. People sometimes throw in the word ‘ever’ when it’s not needed. This is fairly common in some parts of the US.
Thank you very much for your detailed response.
I really appreciate your help.
John talks about feeling of compassion. He doesn’t mean event, he means unknown (unknown for me) time period. I cannot understand, he thinks that Mary had not or he thinks Mary had not and still has not. If it could be ongoing, why John uses “couldn’t”, not “can’t”?
With emotional feelings or compasion, it could still be either one. With emotional feelings, it would probably be ongoing. From the way he said it, there is no way to know if she still can not feel.
To me, it sounds like this was entirely in the past, but that might not be the case. This depends on the context. And of course sometimes when people say things, you just have to ask for clarification. Even with the most precise wording, things are not always clear.
I thought of another possibility. “Ever” might not refer to time. It might refer to situations. So John might be saying Mary could not feel a thing in any situation.
Couldn’t is in the past and can’t is in the present.
“Couldn’t feel” might still be true. For sure it was true in the past.
“Can’t feel” might have been true in the past. For sure it is true in the present.
This was a dialog between people. The rest of the conversation would make it clear if this was entirely in the past or not.
“Couldn’t ever feel” strongly implies that this was long term and ongoing. Just like “couldn’t feel” it may or may not still be true. Again, the rest of the conversation should make it clear.
The way John said it, it was definitely in the past. The only question is whether it is still true. Depending on the rest of the conversation, it might not even matter if it’s still true.
My gosh, it was kind of you to reply that way. Thanks to you I have learned that “couldn’t” might still be true and got the difference between “can’t” and “coulndn’t” for meaning in the past. I doesn’t have the rest of conversation or another context, if only I had.
I have the last question, could you give some simple example of conversation that makes clear whether “couldn’t feel” still true or not.
This is probably part of a conversation between people who know Mary.
Sarah: I haven’t heard from Mary in years. Have you heard anything from her?
John: No, I haven’t heard a thing for at least ten years.
Sarah: She had a rough life.
John: Yea, after a while she became numb. She couldn’t feel a thing.
In the above conversation they are obviously talking about the past, and have no knowledge of the present.
Sarah: I just came from Mary’s house. She’s depressed and lethargic again.
John:: I feel sorry for her. She’s had such a hard life.
John: After a while she became numb and couldn’t feel a thing.
The above is current since Sarah just came from Mary’s house. ( It’s assumed that nothing has changed in the last 15 minutes )