I know that sweeping statement means a statement presented as a general truth but based on limited/incomplete evidence. Since it’s based on evidence that hardly enough (maybe) to support it, can we still called it a ‘general truth’ where I think maybe it is indeed a falsehood?
In the phrase ‘If you that can see let the blind to lead you’, I’m viewing ‘the blind’ as someone who is less qualified than the person who can see, am I right? But it is something mean to say (that the speaker referred the less qualified as a blind one), isn’t it? Do native speakers ever use this phrase in conversation?
Can I say ‘I know, I just let things slide’ to express my desperate mood to get things fall into place?
“sweeping statement” has negative/dismissive connotations. If you think that something is a “sweeping statement”, then you would not at the same time consider it a “general truth” (of course, someone else might consider it a “general truth”, since people have different opinions).
Where did this come from, and are you sure you’ve transcribed it correctly? It seems to be ungrammatical; it should be “let the blind lead you” (unless “let … to” is some kind of archaic or pseudo-archaic form). It also does not appear to express a complete thought (it needs a “then” clause to follow it).
I have never heard exactly this phrase, but “the blind” would certainly be used figuratively to mean ignorant people. There is a well-known expression about “the blind leading the blind”.
“I know, I just let things slide” means that you let your affairs slip into a state of disorganisation through inactivity or laziness. It usually expresses some self-reproach, but not a “desperate mood”.
I couldn’t recall where I first saw it but whatever you say, you are always right. So, in this case, I will just dismiss this or just says ‘If you that can see let the blind lead you, then …’.
Now, this is as clear as the stars on the summer night.
As far as contemporary or conversational English is concerned, best to dismiss it. “If you that can see…” is an old-fashioned or literary form. It sounds as if it comes from the Bible or other old religious text.
Other variants involving this figurative use of “the blind” and “leading” may be acceptable in everyday English, however. I think you could get away with saying “If you let the blind lead you, then what do you expect?”, for example.
You are awesome, Dozy! It’s amazing to receive your further advice regarding this because my goal in life is to speak a proper English.
I had a question about ‘sweeping statement’. We say that people have different opinions (truth/falsehood) on sweeping statement. Now, in a situation where two person (not close or can say barely know each other), says, X and Y interacted in a site and X said something not nice about the site, and Y replied “That is a sweeping statement”. My question is, did Y support/oppose to the bad comment that X given? I was pretty confused and if it is the latter, then I guess sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
Y is being critical of X’s statement, saying that it is unjustifiably general or wide-ranging. There is no sarcasm or wit involved: Y’s is a plain statement of opinion.