would have

English translation: a logical certainty

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:would have
Selected answer:a logical certainty
Entered by: B D Finch

15:36 Jan 29, 2018
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law: Patents, Trademarks, Copyright / Pls see Explanation/ Context
English term or phrase: would have
Dear colleagues,

I think that in the sentence that I copy below, "would" may NOT have a conditional meaning, but rather be used to express uncertainty, as in "We saw a police helicopter overhead yesterday morning. Really? They would have been looking for those bank robbers" or as in "The bridge would probably fall by next year. It is so old".

The sentence reads:

The Court further states that no reliable account concerning the market entry of other generic manufacturers have been presented in the matter by the means of witness statements or documentary evidence, nor has an account been presented of the fact that the Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board would have, during the period referred to in the suit, made decisions concerning the reimbursement status of the said products or confirmed their reasonable wholesale price as regards to other generic manufacturers’ XXX medicine products.

In particular, I think that the author of the text below chooses to use 'would' in "...nor has an (reliable) account been presented of the fact that the pharmaceuticals pricing board) "WOULD have made decisions.../confirmed their price..."

instead of

"nor has a (reliable) account been presented of the fact that the pricing board) HAS made decisions.../confirmed their price

to express clearly that such alleged fact has not been proved/established.

What do you think? Many thanks in advance for your help!
Rebeca Martín Lorenzo
Spain
Local time: 15:52
a logical certainty
Explanation:
In the context "the fact that the Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board would have, during the period referred to in the suit, made decisions concerning ...", "would have means that it can be stated with confidence, because it is a logical certainty that the PPB did make such decisions during the period referred to.
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 15:52
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3a logical certainty
B D Finch
5 +1they were certainly looking for the bank robbers
David Hollywood


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a logical certainty


Explanation:
In the context "the fact that the Pharmaceuticals Pricing Board would have, during the period referred to in the suit, made decisions concerning ...", "would have means that it can be stated with confidence, because it is a logical certainty that the PPB did make such decisions during the period referred to.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 15:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: But surely the preceding negative casts doubt on that: "...nor has an account been presented of the fact that..."?
9 mins
  -> The negative relates to the failure to present an account. If it's a fact, it's a certainty. If it isn't a certainty, it isn't a "fact".

agree  philgoddard: We can't be sure given the awful writing, but this would be my guess too. I think "failure to present an account" means "the argument ignores the fact that".
37 mins
  -> Thanks phil

agree  Charles Davis: I would say that it means "it can be reasonably presumed that that they did", with confidence but not absolute certainty (which would be "must have"). It remains a presumption, not a known and certain fact.
1 hr
  -> Thanks Charles, "Would" might imply that, but "the fact" doesn't. Though facts in Trumpland are somewhat fluid, I'm fortunate enough not to live there!

agree  Oliver Simões: I would say it indicates a strong probability, not a 100% certainty.
20 hrs
  -> Thanks Oliveira. See my comment to Charles.
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
they were certainly looking for the bank robbers


Explanation:
that's it

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Note added at 16 mins (2018-01-29 15:53:17 GMT)
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"certainly" in the sense of high probability

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Note added at 20 mins (2018-01-29 15:56:56 GMT)
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they would have been looking for bank robbers as their main priority

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Note added at 22 mins (2018-01-29 15:59:25 GMT)
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the context is from the point of view of the reporter who assumes they would probably have been doing what they were doing

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Note added at 24 mins (2018-01-29 16:01:27 GMT)
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"certainly" en este caso significa "seguro que"

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Note added at 27 mins (2018-01-29 16:04:27 GMT)
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con la misma ambiguidad

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Note added at 29 mins (2018-01-29 16:05:58 GMT)
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ambigüedad

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Note added at 31 mins (2018-01-29 16:08:12 GMT)
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but it boils down to: "seguro que estaban etc."

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Note added at 33 mins (2018-01-29 16:09:57 GMT)
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creo que estás buscando una manera de expresarlo en español, así que te doy la idea

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Note added at 42 mins (2018-01-29 16:18:55 GMT)
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in this case it's not "uncertainty" but exactly the opposite = "definitely"

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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2018-01-31 02:30:41 GMT)
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with a high probability

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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2018-01-31 02:31:19 GMT)
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but I know from experience how these go so ok

David Hollywood
Local time: 11:52
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NishantM
2 days 22 hrs
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