grant that

[KLPNO]

Hello everyone
I'd like to ask about the meaning of "grant that" in the following context:

Like bored students, the teachers began to mutter among themselves.
The lecturer placed a hand upon the floating leaves. "My area... my intellectual passion... is too complicated for ordinary minds. I'll grant you that.

The lecturer is one of the teachers and he talks with his colleagues.
By "area" he means what he studies. Does "grant that" imply that he doesn't like the fact that his area is too complicated for ordinary minds, or does "grant" mean assure/guarantee in this case?

 

[riverkid]

Hello everyone
I'd like to ask about the meaning of "grant that" in the following context:

Like bored students, the teachers began to mutter among themselves.
The lecturer placed a hand upon the floating leaves. "My area... my intellectual passion... is too complicated for ordinary minds. I'll grant you that.

The lecturer is one of the teachers and he talks with his colleagues.
By "area" he means what he studies. Does "grant that" imply that he doesn't like the fact that his area is too complicated for ordinary minds, or does "grant" mean assure/guarantee in this case?

It means, "I'll allow/admit that such and such is true"

 

[NearThere]

riverkid: It means, "I'll allow/admit that such and such is true"

So would it be ok to say that he sounds like, pardon my language, an arrogant bastard to me.

NT

 

[Anglika]

Not on the short extract you have given. It is quite a normal expression to use in discussion. He is merely commenting that his area of interest and study is one that most people will not understand - or indeed probably do not want to understand.

I, for instance, do not understand higher mathematics, but can appreciate that for some intellectuals it is a fascinating subject.

 

[NearThere]

Not on the short extract you have given. It is quite a normal expression to use in discussion. He is merely commenting that his area of interest and study is one that most people will not understand - or indeed probably do not want to understand.

I, for instance, do not understand higher mathematics, but can appreciate that for some intellectuals it is a fascinating subject.

Thanks Angelika.

I stated the comment with some degree of humor (or at least I tried) in a way to show how I understood the use of the phrase "I grant you that". In that context given by KNOLP, I thought it was very clear that it came from a person with a great deal of confidence that borderlined arrogance. Some people are like that and rightly so and I was assuming people of that calibre in intelligence wouldn't mind being accused of it. It's just that normal Jane and Joe Doe like the rest of us wouldn't say: "......my intelligence....intimidates people that they avoid eye contact with me. I grant you that.....", rather we're probably more bothered why people seemingly uninterested when you try to talk to them...

NT