I’m pretty sure your analysis is quite correct. I’m quite sure your analysis is pretty correct; rather, it was mighty fine. Quite!.
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Intimate or intimidate?
Thanks, Anonymous, you’re right. It’s a miskeying, but actually it should be imitate rather than intimidate!
Rather a good article, thanks. Pretty good or quite good, anyway. (Don’t forget the British love of understatement either – ‘pretty’ and ‘quite’ can be more than just ‘fairly’, but actually the highest praise.)
I found this article pretty interesting and quite instructive. Thanks.
I’ll leave you to work out whether I’m American or English though 🙂
“Pretty” is more often a de-intensifier. “I’m sure” is certain. “I’m pretty sure” is usually not quite completely sure, unless there are nonverbal or context cues turning “pretty” into a kind of “obviously what follows is true” irony (as in “I’m pretty sure you don’t want to pick up that rattlesnake”).
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I’m pretty sure your analysis is quite correct. I’m quite sure your analysis is pretty correct; rather, it was mighty fine. Quite!.
[…] “Rather interesting” by Orin Hargraves, Macmillan Dictionary blog. […]
[…] the full article and more from Orin visit the Macmillan Dictionary Blog. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this […]
Intimate or intimidate?
Thanks, Anonymous, you’re right. It’s a miskeying, but actually it should be imitate rather than intimidate!
Rather a good article, thanks. Pretty good or quite good, anyway. (Don’t forget the British love of understatement either – ‘pretty’ and ‘quite’ can be more than just ‘fairly’, but actually the highest praise.)
I found this article pretty interesting and quite instructive. Thanks.
I’ll leave you to work out whether I’m American or English though 🙂
“Pretty” is more often a de-intensifier. “I’m sure” is certain. “I’m pretty sure” is usually not quite completely sure, unless there are nonverbal or context cues turning “pretty” into a kind of “obviously what follows is true” irony (as in “I’m pretty sure you don’t want to pick up that rattlesnake”).