I Still Don't Understand The Word "Quite"! Quite ってなに？
Feb 04th 2012 12:40
My brain is fried, sigh, I'm still confused about the word "quite."
In an English class, an American teacher told us three students, "As your English is quite good, I will ~~~~~"
Does this "quite" mean "fairly" or "completely"?
Which is the highest praise, "Your English is good" or "Your English is quite good"? When I heard the teacher's word, I thought that our English is not that bad, and fairly good.
Then I hit the book titled "Advanced Grammar in Use" published by Cambridge univerisity press.
I found out an explanation about "quite."
However, the more I read it, the more I am confused. I ended up being freaked out by it, and now I am calling for your help!
Would you give me some example sentences by using "quite" for each meaning; "fairly" and "completely"?
Accordig to the grammar book
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Quite" has two meanings: to a particular degree, but not "very"(=fairly); and a large degree, or "very much"(=completely)
1 I'm quite satisfied with the result. (fairly)
2 No, you are quite wrong. ( completely)
When "quite" is used with ungradable adjectives it means "completely."
3. Ted isn't coming until tomorrow. "Are you quite certain?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think that those adjectives "wrong" and "certain" are gradable...but why is the meaning "completely" in those sentences?
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"You are quite the athlete!"
"I'm quite sure."
In these sentences it is being used as an intensifier.
Like the word "pretty" in "I'm pretty tired." is pretty much the same as "I'm quite tired."
Wow, it is very hard to explain...
"Wow, it is quite hard to explain."
xD
Maybe just remember it as a word to put "emphases" on something.
Thank you very much for coming by and answering my question!!!
I will keep in mind that it is for putting an emphasis.
Thank you!
My brain is fried, sigh, I'm still confused about the word "quite."
So the teacher said your English is very good, but in a somewhat fancy way!
Thank you for your correction!!!
And, thank you for thinking about my question and the answer!
I will remember your answer,*fancy way*!
"Wrong" and "certain" are usually considered non-gradeable when used alone, I guess. They are non-gradeable "by default". If something is wrong then that is an absolute (binary) condition, unless other cues indicate that there is a gradable or subjective element to the wrongness. That is, an answer to a maths problem can be "wrong" in an absolute sense, and a fashion choice can be "very wrong" or just a little bit "wrong", but the meaning of "wrong" is *usually* considered closer to the absolute sense.
If I said "That shirt looks quite wrong with those pants" then this is a stronger statement than "That shirt looks wrong with those pants." It adds emphasis and implies everyone would agree that the wrongness is complete.
For something that is usually, by default, considered to be gradeable along a spectrum (like how satisfied you are), then "quite" is a quantifier that falls short of "very". Depending on tone of voice and context, it could lower the default intensity of an adjective, but it usually increases it.
If I said "She is quite nice" without any enthusiasm, or with a particular hesitant use of "quite", this means less than "She is nice." If I say "She's quite nice!" this usually means more than "She is nice."
Hope this helps...
Cheers,
Craig.
Thank you so much for your detailed and helpful explanation!!!
I understand that I need to have some intuitive sense to use it in context, also to use proper intonation (accent).
Like you taught me, "She's quite NICE!" means she is really nice, right?
Your explanation will help with not only me, but with my friends who are English learners as well. I'm going to print it out, and we will study it together in an English club next time.
Thank you! ありがとう。
I am looking for a study partner so perhaps you could send me a message if you have more questions,
Craig.
My brain is fried. *sigh* I'm still confused about the word "quite."
Then I hit the book titled "Advanced Grammar in Use" published by Cambridge univerisity press.
According to the grammar book
No, you are quite wrong. ＝ いいえ、ぜんぜん間違っている。
I'm quite satisfied with the result. ＝ 結果は結構満足している。
Does this help? (^_^)
Thank you for your wonderful corrections!!! You have such good eyesight! You found my redundant "i" and want of "n"!
Your Japanese tralslation helps a lot!
ありがとう！
このサイトは非常に便利です。
This site is quite useful.
ラン、
In this list, almost all the usage of "quite" is for "completely", except for the sentence "His English is quite good."
It's translated as 彼の英語は まあまあだ > means his English is fair.
Maybe it depends on the intonation, I guess..
Thank you for sharing the website!