[Vocabulary] She's rather calm.

[beachboy]

She's rather calm.

Does the sentence above mean the same as "She's pretty calm"? Or does it mean that she is surprisingly a calm person?

 

[teechar]

It depends on the broader context. Can you provide that?

 

[beachboy]

It depends on the broader context. Can you provide that?

Actually, I'd like to know if both are grammatical, if they can mean the same, regardless of the context. I'm asking this question because I've read somewhere that "pretty" usually modifies a positive quality while "rather" usually modifies a negative quality (except when it conveys surprise).

 

[teechar]

I've read somewhere that "pretty" usually modifies a positive quality while "rather" usually modifies a negative quality (except when it conveys surprise).

No. That, I can tell you is incorrect.

She can be pretty nasty at times.
I felt rather energetic after today's lecture.