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Thu 27 Nov, 2014 08:06 am
Say, a friend of mine fixed me up with a girl
and I had a date. After that, the friend who set me up asks me,
"Hey, how was the date? Do you think you guys hit it off?'
Here, if I said, 'Not exactly.', is it same as 'not at all'?
I've always thought 'not exactly' is just like 'not necessarily' or 'not 100 percent.'
But I was told today that 'not exactly' is usually more like 'by no means,' or simply 'zero percent.'
My mother asked me, 'Do you like your job?'
and I answered, 'Not exactly.' How would it sound?
Is what I said 'Not at all. I really hate it.' or 'Just so so. Something's good and something's bad.' ?
So confusing.
Please help me figure this out.
@SMickey,
Quote:Here, if I said, 'Not exactly.', is it same as 'not at all'?
Yes Mick, oft facetiously, as signaled verbally
No, they are not the same. What you were told originally is correct. Not exactly, means "not completely." This isn't the same as "not at all."
@Brandon9000,
Bran pardon this tech but I have to take exception. Depending upon how it's uttered it often means "not at all"
No offense Bran but are you possibly esl; the student often more literal than US Natives
Forgive lousy pun
@dalehileman,
My profile states that I grew up in Scarsdale, NY.
@dalehileman,
Quote:more literal than US Natives
US natives don't have exclusive ownership of the English language: there are other users.
@SMickey,
Quote:I've always thought 'not exactly' is just like 'not necessarily' or 'not 100 percent.'
But I was told today that 'not exactly' is usually more like 'by no means,' or simply 'zero percent.'
Both can be correct, depending on circumstances or intention. The second use is an ironic one.
If you say "we didn't exactly see eye to eye" it is taken to mean that there was no common ground at all. We quarrelled.
But the literal meaning of "not exactly" is also valid.
@McTag,
Quote:US natives don't have exclusive ownership of the English language: there are other users.
True, Mac, but my point simply being the esl is more likely to adopt a literal interpretation
@dalehileman,
Thank you so much.
Thanks to guys like you, I think I can improve my English skills.
@SMickey,
Mick you're quite welcome. I'm truly impressed by the determination of the esl, something I hadn't imagined til I joined a2k
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