I shouldn't be surprised and half.

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05-Oct-2004, 04:55
nicolas

I shouldn't be surprised and half.

Dear all,

I have a question when I saw the movie "Love Actually".
The scripts are as below (they are in a wedding party):

A: This DJ, what do you reckon? The worst in history?
B: Probably. I think it all hangs on the next song.
DJ: Now here’s the one for the lovers. That’s quite a few of you, I shouldn’t be surprised and half.

:?:
My question is what does the "half" mean?
We usually say "half an hour", "half a dozen eggs".
Why doesn't it have a noun? Or this is a phrase? :wink:

Thanks
05-Oct-2004, 09:16
Casiopea

Re: I shouldn't be surprised and half.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicolas

Dear all,

I have a question when I saw the movie "Love Actually".
The scripts are as below (they are in a wedding party):

A: This DJ, what do you reckon? The worst in history?
B: Probably. I think it all hangs on the next song.
DJ: Now here’s the one for the lovers. That’s quite a few of you, I shouldn’t be surprised and half.

:?:
My question is what does the "half" mean?
We usually say "half an hour", "half a dozen eggs".
Why doesn't it have a noun? Or this is a phrase? :wink:

Thanks

In North American English it would be "I shouldn't be surprised if half (of you are lovers)."

All the best,
05-Oct-2004, 09:24
nicolas

Dear Casiopea,

Thank you! :D
Now I understand what it means. :multi:
05-Oct-2004, 10:17
Casiopea

You're welcome. :multi:
06-Oct-2004, 01:40
Susie Smith

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casiopea

You're welcome. :multi:

According to my Longman, the expression "and a half" is used for emphasis when you think something is very unusual, surprising, or good.

I would say it something like this:

I wouldn't be surprised at all if quite a few of you are lovers.

OR I wouldn't be too surprised if quite a few of you were lovers.

:wink:
06-Oct-2004, 04:01
nicolas

Dear Susie,

Thank you.

Quote:

According to my Longman, the expression "and a half" is used for emphasis when you think something is very unusual, surprising, or good.

But I can't find sentences mach this explanation. :wink:
Could you please give me some sentences to show me how to use it?
Thanks! :D
06-Oct-2004, 10:11
Tdol

We also use 'not half' as an emphatic positive:

Did you enjoy the party?
Not half!

;-)
07-Oct-2004, 03:03
Susie Smith

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicolas

Dear Susie,

Thank you.

Quote:

According to my Longman, the expression "and a half" is used for emphasis when you think something is very unusual, surprising, or good.

But I can't find sentences mach this explanation. :wink:
Could you please give me some sentences to show me how to use it?
Thanks! :D

Sure thing! :wink:

(Quoting Longman): and a half informal used when you think that something is very unusual or surprising, or very good: That was a meal and a half!
07-Oct-2004, 22:34
nicolas

Dear todl and Susie,

Thank you, I will remember these, not half and and a half.
:D :D

These are sentences and a half.
It's not half hard to remember these phrases. :wink: