Posts by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
(DIR) Post #AvOX8WL7rIw0mMkUhk by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
2025-06-21T21:09:42Z
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Via Viz Magazine. https://shop.viz.co.uk/viz346bs
(DIR) Post #B2We3SzrojQKNFbOiG by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T20:47:10Z
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@robinhouston @ColinTheMathmo Thinking boot this, I think there’s a subtlety. I’d say I am “just about 6 foot tall” meaning I am not quite 6 foot, but am nearly, and specifically *am near enough 6 foot for the shortfall not to matter for current purposes* (maybe a suit-fitting?!).I “just about caught the train” doesn’t fit into this framing as there’s no way to miss it so narrowly that for practical purposes one actually caught it.Maybe this is why it can resolve in two different ways. 1/2
(DIR) Post #B2We3afFJHgM9c12gK by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T20:51:15Z
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@robinhouston @ColinTheMathmoAlso:“Did you catch the train?”“Yes, just about.”sounds fine to me but“Did you catch the train?”“No, just about.”would leave me completely baffled.(UK Eng speaker here agreeing with @robinhouston.)2/2
(DIR) Post #B2We3qVCQP9XH5RFFA by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T20:59:34Z
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@ColinTheMathmo @robinhouston Or:"Have you finished your homework?" ... "Just about" ... means “give me a second… hang on… yes”
"Are you six feet tall?" ... "Just about" ... means “I’ve got my shoes on, so yes”
"Did you catch the train?" ... "Just about" ... means ... ?
(DIR) Post #B2We3sjS8Nk6Bs7ejo by richardelwes@mathstodon.xyz
2023-01-14T21:13:14Z
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@ColinTheMathmo @robinhouston They mean “strictly speaking no, but for practical purposes yes” - but that doesn’t work when it comes to catching trains! You seem to have found a linguistic version of that coloured dress meme @ColinTheMathmo !