English language help

Team Banana Spokesman
edited August 2010 in The bottom bracket
Today I was watching some 'Carry on' films. Could not understand the humour. :?

one thing that was being said was 'not arf'. :?

people say this to me sometimes. does it mean 'no' or 'yes'?

not half means 'no' to me from a mathematics view. 'is it sunny there?' 'not arf' = no. not even half sunny (?????)

then I think it could mean yes because it could mean 'yes, 100% sunny, not 50%'

Comments

  • Bunneh
    Bunneh Posts: 1,329
    'not 'arf' does me 'yes', it's an more definite yes. So if it was slightly sunny then it'd just be yes, but if it's really sunny then 'oooo not 'arf!'.

    Carry On is an acquired taste, I loved them as a kid.
  • ilm_zero7
    ilm_zero7 Posts: 2,213
    as in "it aint arf 'ot Mum"

    English - a great language........................ init?
    http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
    Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR2
  • Yes, not half is a way of emphasising ''wholly''

    On the half empty,half full problem, I've got caught out by arranging a meeting in German.

    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!
  • GiantMike
    GiantMike Posts: 3,139
    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!

    Top work. Did you whistle the Dambusters theme as you walked in?
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    GiantMike wrote:
    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!

    Top work. Did you whistle the Dambusters theme as you walked in?

    They could have replied
    "For you, ze meeting is over"
    :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    Yes, not half is a way of emphasising ''wholly''

    On the half empty,half full problem, I've got caught out by arranging a meeting in German.

    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!

    Sometimes I get the opposite effect. They know I'm English so they say half eleven when they mean 11.30, I think they're Swiss/German so they mean half ten and end up in meeting rooms on my own or, even worse, walking in on the wrong meeting.

    Now I say the time in full i.e. elf uhr dreizig (11.30) just to make sure!
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    Today I was watching some 'Carry on' films. Could not understand the humour. :?

    '

    why not try watching 'last of the summer wine' instead.
  • GavH
    GavH Posts: 933
    I have a similar recurring argument with the wife. She believes the saying 'a sight for sore eyes' pertains to some visual disaster that would give one sore eyesight if viewed too long. I maintain that a 'sight for sore eyes' would be something aesthetically pleasing which would in turn provide relief to said sore eyes. All I know is, I'm right and she's wrong but who's to say.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    GavH wrote:
    I have a similar recurring argument with the wife. She believes the saying 'a sight for sore eyes' pertains to some visual disaster that would give one sore eyesight if viewed too long. I maintain that a 'sight for sore eyes' would be something aesthetically pleasing which would in turn provide relief to said sore eyes. All I know is, I'm right and she's wrong but who's to say.
    im not aware of any true meaning but ive always taken it to mean fugly as well. maybe ive always missed the sarcasm when its been used in that manner.?
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    GavH wrote:
    I have a similar recurring argument with the wife. She believes the saying 'a sight for sore eyes' pertains to some visual disaster that would give one sore eyesight if viewed too long. I maintain that a 'sight for sore eyes' would be something aesthetically pleasing which would in turn provide relief to said sore eyes. All I know is, I'm right and she's wrong but who's to say.

    you're right, she's wrong.

    you can tell her though!! :lol:
  • schweiz wrote:
    Yes, not half is a way of emphasising ''wholly''

    On the half empty,half full problem, I've got caught out by arranging a meeting in German.

    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!

    Sometimes I get the opposite effect. They know I'm English so they say half eleven when they mean 11.30, I think they're Swiss/German so they mean half ten and end up in meeting rooms on my own or, even worse, walking in on the wrong meeting.

    Now I say the time in full i.e. elf uhr dreizig (11.30) just to make sure!

    ''halbi elfi'' should do you in CH. Of course, pronounced more like haubi eufi :wink:
  • schweiz
    schweiz Posts: 1,644
    schweiz wrote:
    Yes, not half is a way of emphasising ''wholly''

    On the half empty,half full problem, I've got caught out by arranging a meeting in German.

    Half-eleven meant 11:30 to me, but in German ''half-eleven'' (something like halb-Ölf' in German) means halfway to 11, i.e. 10:30. I kept them waiting an hour!

    Sometimes I get the opposite effect. They know I'm English so they say half eleven when they mean 11.30, I think they're Swiss/German so they mean half ten and end up in meeting rooms on my own or, even worse, walking in on the wrong meeting.

    Now I say the time in full i.e. elf uhr dreizig (11.30) just to make sure!

    ''halbi elfi'' should do you in CH. Of course, pronounced more like haubi eufi :wink:

    :D

    halbi elfi said just like that will do the trick round these parts.

    aber miis düütsch isch e hässlige mischig vo schwiizerdüütsch u Hochdeutsch!! :wink:
  • rdt
    rdt Posts: 869
    not half means 'no' to me from a mathematics view. 'is it sunny there?' 'not arf' = no. not even half sunny (?????)

    then I think it could mean yes because it could mean 'yes, 100% sunny, not 50%'


    I think you might appreciate Viz's "Mr Logic" character:-

    http://www.viz.co.uk/strips.html (& use drop drown box)