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

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought. Except it was Grandma Kate, I think, and I just couldn't imagine her ever being snarky. So then I was just baffled, until I finally worked it out months later.

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

*is sorry to rake up old post*

I just got a comment on one of my Yuletide fics from someone saying they thought it was 'quite good' in the middle of an otherwise positive review. She's American, from her LJ. Does she not mean 'this is a decent enough effort', then?

*scratches head*

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

If she's American, then I think you can assume that she means it's excellent. As I'm sure it is...

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And I'm glad I rembembered you posted about this, because I would have never worked that out in a million years.

I have been stalking likely fandoms for long fics, but I still can't guess which Yuletide fic is yours.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Really? I thought it was completely obvious which was mine.

I think I've found one of yours, but not your main story, so I'm guessing that's from a fandom I don't read.

[ankaret.livejournal.com]

I can't wait for the reveal! Though it's also nice to get comments whilst the fic's anonymous, because then you know it's the fic alone that earnt it. :)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. None of the commenters on my fics at the moment are people I know, so I know they're not just saying nice things because they like me.