Quite

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

I'll have to eat quite some more Wheaties in the morning to actually achieve a full language immersion...

Are you quite sure of the grammar here? (ignoring the split infinitive which I am told is quite acceptable but sounds quite awful to me)

[Chris]

Right, quite some more doesn't sound correct. You should use quite a few more... Now quite some time works.

Here's one you can put into use immediately...

How are you doing?

Quite well thank you.
Quite hungry. Would you like to grab some lunch?
Quite angry about the Flores girl in Peru.

[Perikles]

Thinking about it, I'm not quite sure how to translate quite, because it has quite different meanings. The OED gives Completely, wholly, entirely, and yet many uses mean fairly, kind of, just a bit. At least I think they do.

Example:
I'm not quite certain = I am not entirely certain
This cake tastes quite nice = This cake fairly nice, but not fantastic.

I think there is quite a difference in meanings, but I'm not quite certain. What made me wonder is that on a different thread, somebody posted

Wonderful! Thanks, you two! This is all quite helpful.

That sounds to me like 'fairly helpful' and yet what is meant is clearly 'very helpful'

Is it just me? Am I quite mad?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Thinking about it, I'm not quite sure how to translate quite, because it has quite different meanings. The OED gives Completely, wholly, entirely, and yet many uses mean fairly, kind of, just a bit. At least I think they do.

Example:
I'm not quite certain = I am not entirely certain
This cake tastes quite nice = This cake fairly nice, but not fantastic.

I think there is quite a difference in meanings, but I'm not quite certain. What made me wonder is that on a different thread, somebody posted

That sounds to me like 'fairly helpful' and yet what is meant is clearly 'very helpful'

Is it just me? Am I quite mad?

I can't comment on your mental state, as I don't know you quite well enough yet. But I am the as of yet unnamed person who wrote your quote above. I used the word "quite" for emphasis. Not only was their help, um, helpful ... it was very helpful ... or, quite helpful. Does that help?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

But I am the as of yet unnamed person who wrote your quote above. I used the word "quite" for emphasis. Not only was their help, um, helpful ... it was very helpful ... or, quite helpful. Does that help?

This is my point - you clearly meant very helpful, but out of context I would understand quite helpful as meaning fairly helpful.

I can't quite work out the difference, if there is one.

I quite understand = I understand completely
That is quite interesting = That is fairly interesting, but not jaw-droppingly amazing

Would you not see a difference between the two?

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

This is my point - you clearly meant very helpful, but out of context I would understand quite helpful as meaning fairly helpful.

I can't quite work out the difference, if there is one.

I quite understand = I understand completely
That is quite interesting = That is fairly interesting, but not jaw-droppingly amazing

Would you not see a difference between the two?

That's why I wrote in an earlier post on this thread that I'm a bit stumped about explaining "quite" in a way that would be understandable to a non-native speaker.

First, I would never say "I quite understand". (I'd probably never hear it around here, either.) It sounds like British English to me.

Second, "that is quite interesting" would definitely be interpreted as you say here. But I'm not sure how to explain it with the given definitions.

And ... in my sentence from the other thread, I suppose I would say that "quite helpful" could be "very helpful" OR "fairly helpful" but not necessarily "earth-shatteringly" helpful...

Not sure. I only know how I would use it, but can't necessarily explain it...

[JPablo]

Well, well... I am not quite sure if I should multiquote a lot here, but to answer Perikles and Chris, there is *quite some more examples of people using "quite some more" (bad as it may sound) than you can shake a stick at...

Granted, Google is not the Bible, much less the OED, but getting "4,240,000" on such "bad grammar" may give you a good idea of how bad is the grammar around the cyber-space...

I guess, anyhow, I'll have to eat a lot more Wheaties... or maybe try to drink some nice British Tea instead... As the saw goes, "Beginning to know that one doesn't know, is not a lesson in humbleness, but one in wisdom..."

Which I could modify to say "Beginning to know that one doesn't quite know, is not a lesson in humbleness, but one in wisdom..."

As far as "sanity" is concerned, only a very sane person would ever wonder about his/her own sanity... the real crazy people are always absolutely certain of their correctness...

Ergo, I know Perikles is not mad (at all) [Pablus-gister dixit!]

At any rate, thank you for the advices, tips and suggestions...

I feel quite edified... (specially in the morning of the day of the God Ra, or Raday!)

Random House gives these definitions and examples for "quite"
1. completely, wholly, or entirely: quite the reverse; not quite finished.
2. actually, really, or truly: quite a sudden change.
3. to a considerable extent or degree: quite small; quite objectionable.

On the example of "quite helpful" I would take definition 2 or 3 and I think I'd get it right... right?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

First, I would never say "I quite understand". (I'd probably never hear it around here, either.) It sounds like British English to me.

Yes, it is. I quite understand your reluctance to use it.

Originally Posted by JPablo

Well, well... I am not quite sure if I should multiquote a lot here, but to answer Perikles and Chris, there is *quite some more examples of people using "quite some more" (bad as it may sound) than you can shake a stick at...

Well, the BNC has no hits on that expression, and for me, it is

Originally Posted by JPablo

Which I could modify to say "Beginning to know that one doesn't quite know, is not a lesson in humbleness,..."

Or even humility

Originally Posted by JPablo

Ergo, I know Perikles is not mad (at all) [Pablus-gister dixit!]

[JPablo]

Like the Japanese say, "Master, I withdraw my foul breath from you" (hhhsssp!) (Or something of the sort... with humility!)
(Thank you!)

[CrOtALiTo]

Thank you all.

I believe that is much information I can't process in this moment, I'm quite sure I will can be able understand the meaning that certainly can be useful for me.

Fairly I can give you an lil idea about the use of the word, because in all the post I have seen that you have used the quite word as Completamente.

And fairly I believe correct the word, and I'm quite sure that I can use it too.

Thank so much for your advices.

Have fun.

Good day.

[Chris]

@JPablo: It may not be grammatically correct. I wouldn't know. I do know that it's bad grammar to say "Where's the library at?" because it's been made into a joke. Even still it sounds perfectly correct to me and many people that say such as this.

So I went to Harvard. While I was there I asked a guy "Where's the library at?" He responded "This is Harvard, we do not end a sentence with a conjunction hanging." I said "Okay... Where's the library at MORON!?"

I suppose it would have been better to ask "Where is the library?"

BTW: Figuring out reflexive verbs are pretty hard right now. I'm hoping they will get easier but I just do not understand. I was thinking about some of my earlier questions and saying "Wow that is so easy now." So I'm hoping this tough thing will be easier in a month.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Chris

BTW: Figuring out reflexive verbs are pretty hard right now. I'm hoping they will get easier but I just do not understand. I was thinking about some of my earlier questions and saying "Wow that is so easy now." So I'm hoping this tough thing will be easier in a month.

If you start a thread about reflexive verbs, make sure I see it. Although I feel like I have a decent grasp on them, I want to be solid on them and appreciate any reading about them that I can find.

[CrOtALiTo]

Then isn't correct to end a phrase with a hanging.

I can say.

Why I'm standing here at?
That is grammatically correct?
Even so my phrase is correct or not.

Why I'm standing here in the street?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Chris

@JPablo: It may not be grammatically correct. I wouldn't know. I do know that it's bad grammar to say "Where's the library at?" because it's been made into a joke. Even still it sounds perfectly correct to me and many people that say such as this.

So I went to Harvard. While I was there I asked a guy "Where's the library at?" He responded "This is Harvard, we do not end a sentence with a conjunction hanging." I said "Okay... Where's the library at MORON!?"

This is weird because at is a preposition, not a conjunction. Also, this must be AmE because where .. at doesn't exist in BrE. Not only that, but ending a sentence with a preposition can be acceptable, such as

What am I supposed to be looking at?

So: a preposition is a word you should not end a sentence with, and it is a habit up with which I shall not put.

[JPablo]

Well, thank you all.

@Chris, what else can I say...?
(Good to know that you have been at one of the Ivy League centers of Leeeea.ning!)

I've certainly heard "Where is the party at?!"

Yet, I fully get Perikles point.

Well, I believe one has to be flexible in all counts... and be able to do in Rome what Romans do... and know the correct and the "incorrect-correct" ways things are said and done.

I.e., I am not a 'purist'... not by a long shot. Castilian IS a corruption of Latin. It was the 'lowly' and 'uneducated' way... the 'vulgar Latin' even more vulgarized... so... things change.

Nowadays, given that we are in the "Global Hamlet" I believe it is easier to standarize a language, and keep it from deteriorating... Then again, like Heraclitus said or wrote, "Panta Rhei" (everything flows), so I may be easy and go with the flow...

Well... this thread is becoming QUITE a thread!

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Perikles

This is weird because at is a preposition, not a conjunction. Also, this must be AmE because where .. at doesn't exist in BrE. Not only that, but ending a sentence with a preposition can be acceptable, such as

What am I supposed to be looking at?

So: a preposition is a word you should not end a sentence with, and it is a habit up with which I shall not put.

So I guess I'm the moron lol. I guess the joke goes to not leave a preposition hanging.

@JPablo: Yes I leaned a lot! )

[JPablo]

@Chris, yup! (I kind of figured that !) (Such a temple of leaning!)
Or rather... ... ! Quite a temple of leaning!

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

This is weird because at is a preposition, not a conjunction. Also, this must be AmE because where .. at doesn't exist in BrE. Not only that, but ending a sentence with a preposition can be acceptable, such as

What am I supposed to be looking at?

So: a preposition is a word you should not end a sentence with, and it is a habit up with which I shall not put.

But, seriously, I haven't really ever heard where .. at in conversational English spoken here in the United States. I have heard that joke before, though. I think it's meant to really poke fun at someone whose grammar is horrible.

[Chris]

Oh so that's why it was told to me lol.