The use of "Rather" at the beginning of a sentence

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Son says, "It's heartening to see them making up."

Father responded,"Rather, I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

Is the use of 'Rather' correct in the above sentence?

Thanks in advance.

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I'm not sure exactly what context the quote comes from. I suspect it's using it as an early 20th century upper-class British stereotype slang, as an intensifier meaning something like, "Yes, that's very true", more enthusiastic agreement than just a simple "Yes."

Like answering"It's very hot today" with just "Rather". It would be said with some emphasis.

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from dictionary.com:

Quote:

–interjection
8. Chiefly British . emphatically yes; assuredly; without doubt: Is the book worth reading?Rather!

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In this sentence, I believe Rather means

Besides that view of it . . .

or

Instead of that, . . .

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re Punkey, problem with that view is that Father is AGREEING with the original statement.

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@tanguatlay,

"Rather" is correct here, but the comma after it should be replaced with a dash, a full stop, or (best of all) an exclamation mark. Note that in this sense "rather" is pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, whereas in other senses (e.g. "it's rather cold", "I'd rather stay here") the first syllable is emphasised.

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@MontereyJack,

MontereyJack wrote:

I'm not sure exactly what context the quote comes from. I suspect it's using it as an early 20th century upper-class British stereotype slang, as an intensifier meaning something like, "Yes, that's very true", more enthusiastic agreement than just a simple "Yes."

Like answering"It's very hot today" with just "Rather". It would be said with some emphasis.

I agree, except that it is not exclusively upper-class. It is slightly old-fashioned, although it is still heard occasionally here in Britain.

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re ACB: you're the Brit, I'm the rude Colonial, I'll go along with you as to its currency. Over here, to the extent anyone knows about it, it's probably seen as something Bertie Wooster would say, but not Jeeves,

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@MontereyJack,

MontereyJack wrote:

re Punkey, problem with that view is that Father is AGREEING with the original statement.

Emphasis above another's statemnt can be agreement with subject matter but disagreement on the degree of enthusiam that the father thought should have been expressed by the sun. The father may have said, quite if it were simple agreement. agreement comes in several subtle forms
simple agreement - Yup, uhuh, yes, i agree, quite
one up agreement - rather, you know it
i never saw it that way but now I agree - totally, hey yeah, oh yeah I see
i'm glad someone agrees with me agreement - right on
reluctant agreement - I guess, seems so

these can be switched around as well using tone, volume, breath, pitch, and placement.
so really in our rather example whether it was simple agreement or one up agreement one would have to listen to the tone and cadence of the sentence.

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@MontereyJack,

Son says, "It's heartening to see them making up."

Father responded,"Rather, I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

Quote:

re Punkey, problem with that view is that Father is AGREEING with the original statement.

Not necessarily, MJ. The father may be saying that he is heartened not by just another "make up" but by the fact that they have really become more loving.

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@JTT,

JTT wrote:

Son says, "It's heartening to see them making up."

Father responded,"Rather, I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

Quote:
re Punkey, problem with that view is that Father is AGREEING with the original statement.

Not necessarily, MJ. The father may be saying that he is heartened not by just another "make up" but by the fact that they have really become more loving.

Hi JTT

Thanks for your comment.

Is the use of "Rather" correct?

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@tanguatlay,

Quote:

Hi JTT

Thanks for your comment.

Is the use of "Rather" correct?

I was going to comment on your original question but I thought it was moot, Ms Tan.

Yes, it's fine. I believe that this would be a usage found in all dialects of English. It's kind of like a "more [than that]",

Father responded,"More [than that], I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

Father responded,"I am truly heartened to hear that, rather than just making up again, they have become a more loving couple."

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I can't understand Rover's comment, Ms Tan. It's not at all stilted. Perhaps, the lack of a greater context caused such a response.

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@tanguatlay,

tanguatlay wrote:

Son says, "It's heartening to see them making up."

Father responded,"Rather, I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

Is the use of 'Rather' correct in the above sentence?

Thanks in advance.

It is an abreviation of the form, "I rather agree". The use of the word "rather" is used as an emphasis to the agrement.

The trouble is, most people have forgotton the original form and so it has become a bit meaningless

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@stevecook172001,

I would guess, it's an abreviation of the form, "I rather agree". The use of the word "rather" is used as an emphasis to the agrement.

The trouble is, most people have forgotton the original form and so it has become a bit meaningless

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Son says, "It's heartening to see them making up."

Father responded,"Rather, I am truly heartened to hear that they have become a more loving couple."

****************************************************************
My dictionary defines 'rather' as a British Colloq. meaning 'certainly, assuredly.'

But making up does not = becoming a more loving couple so I still think it means 'preferably.'

Smile

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The use of "Rather" at the beginning of a sentence

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