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 #2 (permalink) Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:24 pm So to speak/as it were |
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The expressions so to speak and as it were mean 'in a manner of speaking', 'if I can put it that way'.
I was so terrified that my legs were like jelly, so to speak.
Don't you feel, as it were, overwhelmed by so many words and ways of putting them together? |
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Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
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| #3 (permalink) Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:22 am 'So to speak' versus 'As it were' |
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Bundles of thanks, Conchita! :D
| Conchita wrote: |
I was so terrified that my legs were like jelly, so to speak.
Don't you feel, as it were, overwhelmed by so many words and ways of putting them together? |
Could you please also tell me if the following sentences sound OK to you? Are these expressions equally common in spoken Englsih?
1- I was so terrified that ,as it were, my legs were like jelly.
2- I was so terrified that my legs were like jelly, as it were.
3- Don't you feel overwhelmed by so many words and ways of putting them together, so to speak?
4- Don't you feel, so to speak, overwhelmed by so many words and ways of putting them together?
Tom |
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 Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2103
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Conchita
Language Coach
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain
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| #5 (permalink) Thu Apr 28, 2011 5:31 am 'So to speak' versus 'As it were' |
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The word HOLD has a sense of the temporary rather than KEEP. One may HOLD a thing for a short or long time span, but the word
KEEP has an added sense of stability of time in the holder's possession. I may hold on to a cup for some time,but if I get to keep it
it may be in my possession forever. Suchandra |
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Suchandra Chakraborty
New Member
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 3
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| #6 (permalink) Thu Apr 28, 2011 15:37 pm 'So to speak' versus 'As it were' |
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Hi,
Most of the dictionaries bring about the only example:"she lives here, as it were" which unfortunately is of little use to me.
The explanation like: used to indicate that a word or statement is perhaps not exact though practically right. The phrase is likely a truncation of "as it were so" -
got me totally cornered . I can’t imagine it: she lives somewhere here /'not exact though practically right'/ or she is more alive than dead /'not exact though practically right'/ ?
Will you come up with some more explanations. Please. |
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Eugene2114
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 22 Dec 2010
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Beeesneees
Language Coach
Joined: 08 Apr 2010
Posts: 18800
Location: UK, born and bred
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| #8 (permalink) Thu Apr 28, 2011 19:24 pm 'So to speak' versus 'As it were' |
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| It does, Beees. Thanks a lot. |
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Eugene2114
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 22 Dec 2010
Posts: 707
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| the area that accumulates water on road sides | have smt being done |
