Raphael wrote: ↑Thu Aug 31, 2023 9:23 am
Does the phrase "to know how to do something" imply that you can actually do it, or could it also mean theoretical knowledge? In other words, would the statement "I know how to do a Fosbury flop, but I can't actually do it" make sense?
It's an edge case, but I wouldn't find it inaccurate to say "I know how to do a Fosbury flop, but I can't actually do it" in a situation where the speaker has done it in the past, but is currently unable to because of a change in circumstances (e.g. being in a different physical condition or getting out of practice). Also, I guess maybe if someone had practiced in a driving simulator to an extent that it prepared them to actually drive, they could truthfully say "I know how to drive" even before actually taking the wheel in real life?
It's weirder to use "I know how to X" in a context where the person has no kind of relevant practical experience at all (real or simulated). I wouldn't say knowing about how something is done constitutes knowing how to do it. E.g. if someone has a detailed knowledge of the physiology of whistling, but isn't able to do it and hasn't ever been able to do it in the past, I would push back against saying that they "know how to whistle".
Then again, some things might be so simple to carry out once you are familiar with the concept that practical experience wouldn't really be necessary. E.g. for some kinds of simple recipes, I feel like "I know how to make X" might not necessarily imply practical experience with that particular recipe, so long as there isn't any question about being familiar with all of the necessary substeps. Other types of knowledge like this might be how to synthesize certain chemicals, how to make certain devices, etc. But I'm not sure when "I can't actually do it" would make sense in that kind of context.