Expression: ninety per cent of what fatalities there still were

[Haihao]

Hi,

Could you please construe the passage below for me?

[Alan]

Hi Haihao,

I would suggest that the use of 'what' here indicates something along the lines: such fatalities which occurred or perhaps: whatever fatalities there were. In that sense the use of 'what' doesn't seem unusual to me. Another example could be:

What opportunties that are available I should take advantage of immediately.

The underlying idea behind the word 'what' in these contexts is 'such' 'whatever' 'however many' indicating that there may not be many.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Haihao]

Hi Alan,

Thank you very much and very nice to have your instructions again after a while!

Haihao