Quite a good lesson to learn

[girlyswot]

Among the many linguistic differences between the US and the UK, the use of the word 'quite' is one of the most subtle and least known, I think.

In the US, 'quite' means 'very, completely'. Merriam-Webster has, 'wholly, completely, positively.'

In the UK, 'quite' can have this sense, though often in the negative. 'I'm not quite done yet' = 'I'm not completely done yet.'

However, in the UK 'quite' is much more often used to indicate something completely different. The online Cambridge dictionary gives as the first definition of 'quite', 'Not very.' I'm not sure that's exactly right. I'd say that 'quite' means 'fairly', 'nearly', or 'moderately'. But it is very often used with a negative, deprecating overtone, which means that it does end up meaning something more like 'Not very'.

So a school report in the UK that said a child was 'quite good' at something, should not be taken as glowing praise but as a slightly pointed put down. Similarly if we say that something is 'quite interesting' we're really saying 'Shut up and get to the point.'

Obviously, this information is quite interesting in its own right, but I really mention it here because I've had a number of reviews and comments which I've had to do a double take on. When someone I knew, who had previously told me how much they enjoyed my work, first left a comment on a story of mine to say that it was 'quite good' or 'quite clever', I was slightly taken aback. It wasn't until months later that I realised she meant it quite differently(!) from the way I had understood it. And I'm guessing that there will be others who have had similar experiences and may have been unintentionally discouraged.



Separated by a common language? Quite.

Comments

[moonette1.livejournal.com]

How about 'Your writing is extremely good.'? And that's the truth! :)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is precisely reserve vs. extroversion. I do think it's a reflection of the two cultures in terms of the British preference for understatement, irony, sarcasm and caution vs. the American preference for overstatement and superlatives.

[megan29.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's what I was going for, and I thought that reserve vs. extroversion summarized it quite well (by which I mean fairly well, really, in this case).

Sorry, I deleted the original comment to edit it and repost, since part of it was eaten out. ah, well.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Reserve and extroversion are, I think, predominantly character traits, rather than linguistic traits. You can be very extrovert and still speak in ways that use devastating understatement, irony, sarcasm and caution. You just do it a lot and with a lot of other people around!

[megan29.livejournal.com]

Ok, ok, you're right. I was just trying to be brief(er). Actually, I first typed "flamboyant Americans," but I thought that might be a bit much.

Btw, while possible in principle, I have yet to see an extrovert speaking with understatement and sarcasm. The extroverts I met couldn't get the words fast enough out of their mouths - no time for their (possibly) sarcastic brains to catch up. Maybe I'll find your type of extroverts in England, who knows?

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

You will find quite a number of extroverts who talk like that in England.

[owl]

And Ireland. Although the national character is not the same as England's, it's closer to it than either are to the American.

[megan29.livejournal.com]

Be careful. She might question what extreme you're talking about. You never know with these Brits. :-)

As for myself, I am now quite mystified - in a 'very' sort of way - about the proper use of the word. Apparently, even though I learned British English in school, I acquired quite a few verbal skills in US, since Ros's post left me open-mouthed. My hypothesis is that the evolution of the meaning of the word on either side of the ocean has to do with cultural attitudes: the reserved British vs. the extroverted Americans.

This reminds me of a story my French teacher told us: When she was in college, she did an exchange program in France. She addressed her French professor 'Monsieur [Last Name]' each time, fully believing she was being polite. He looked embarrassed each time. It was only later that she found out that her manner was a subtle put-down. She was supposed to address him as 'Monsieur.' You only add the name when you address someone you consider inferior in social status (like your cleaning lady, I suppose). Ah, the vagaries of language subtleties...

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

*blushes*