sunsunmoon
Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Spanish
- Home Country
- Argentina
- Current Location
- Japan
Do you say "I mean" and "or rather" interchageably?
I mean
informal
1 — used to emphasize a statement
▪ He has to stop drinking. I mean, he's going to kill himself if he keeps it up.
▪ He throws, I mean, really hard!
2 — used to correct a previous statement
▪ We met in Toronto—I mean Montreal.
3 — used when you are unsure of what to say or how to say it
▪ I'm not mad. It's just that, I mean, I think you've been acting a little selfishly.
rather
2 a — used to introduce a statement that indicates what is true after you have said what is not true
▪ I don't like chocolate—rather, I love chocolate.
▪ What matters is not how often you call, but rather what you say.
▪ It wasn't red but rather a shade of bright orange.
b — used to introduce a statement that corrects what you have just said
▪ We can take the car, or rather, the van.
▪ My father, or rather, my stepfather, will be visiting soon.
I mean
informal
1 — used to emphasize a statement
▪ He has to stop drinking. I mean, he's going to kill himself if he keeps it up.
▪ He throws, I mean, really hard!
2 — used to correct a previous statement
▪ We met in Toronto—I mean Montreal.
3 — used when you are unsure of what to say or how to say it
▪ I'm not mad. It's just that, I mean, I think you've been acting a little selfishly.
rather
2 a — used to introduce a statement that indicates what is true after you have said what is not true
▪ I don't like chocolate—rather, I love chocolate.
▪ What matters is not how often you call, but rather what you say.
▪ It wasn't red but rather a shade of bright orange.
b — used to introduce a statement that corrects what you have just said
▪ We can take the car, or rather, the van.
▪ My father, or rather, my stepfather, will be visiting soon.