NationStates Jolt Archive

i heard on the radio this morning that the term "quite good" in america is used to convey that something is pretty damn good, very good, excellent, etc.
in the UK, the term is used to mean "fairly good" or, 'almost good' or similar.

apparently the terminology has swapped round in the last 100 years, in that it used to be the former (really good) version used by the british, and the latter (fairly good) term understood by americans.

is this true or was radio 4 talking out of its own arse?

'tis true.

I can't remember where I learnt that, but it's true.

aye-you heard right

I've always used "quite good" to mean that the thing i'm talking about is excellent

i use to mean above average, not quite brilliant, i dunno where you all got it meaning excellent from?

I'm not to sure about that. I live in the U.S. and I've always used "quite good" for something that is pretty good or nearly good. Yet again, I've never even heard anyone else use the term "quite good" and when I do I get accused of speaking "too properly" :rolleyes:

I don't know about the swap, but I'm American and I do use "quite good" to indicate something very good. In fact, I almost always use "quite" to denote something above average. Generally, though, I don't use "quite" because it sounds pretentious, almost like saying "indeed" to mean an affirmation.

quite good is better than good but less than excellent.

i use to mean above average, not quite brilliant, i dunno where you all got it meaning excellent from?
talking about the US here, and i heard it on radio 4 this morning on home truths (i think)


so i suppose its "quite good" with added sarcasm intended on the 'quite'? :confused:

The use of this term is really quite deep.

'Quite' can be used to mean either 'to a degree' or 'to the greatest extent'.

Now when this is applied to the term 'quite good' it really depends on your fundamental beliefs to which meaning (as in being 'excellent', or just 'alright') you hold.

You see when you use the word 'quite' in conjunction with another word which has no real negative or opposite term; it is merely a variant degree of the original concept; then it means that something is just 'alright'.
However if the word you use has an negative then you're referring to it in a manner that means 'to the greatest extent'.

So in regards to the term 'quite good' it depends how you understand 'goodness' as a concept.
As most people in the U.S. would claim that as there is goodness in the world, it is matched by an equal force of badness/evil, then 'Quite good' means that it is to the greatest extent.

Here in the U.K. on the whole (although it is changing, unfortunately in my opinion) we explain our concept of good in a different manner. We see like hot and cold, rich and poor. As cold is really the lack of heat, and a person that isn't rich has this decided by a lack of wealth. Badness is decided by there being a lack of goodness, and therefore has no opposite. So we would only use the term 'quite good' to say that something is 'alright' or 'adequate'.

It not a case of misusing the english langauge, but simply that on an ontological level, we view the world differently so the use of the English language has been applied differently, but still correctly.

According to my rhetoric book (published in 1890), the phrase "quite good" is never to be used under any circumstances. The phrase was outlawed by several publishing houses and national newspapers.

Remind me to post the entire list of forbidden phrases and words some time.. it's interesting. :)

I'm not to sure about that. I live in the U.S. and I've always used "quite good" for something that is pretty good or nearly good. Yet again, I've never even heard anyone else use the term "quite good" and when I do I get accused of speaking "too properly" :rolleyes:

Radio 4 does talk out of its arse (another lovely british expression). I live in the UK and use quite good to mean brilliant.

Radio 4 does talk out of its arse (another lovely british expression). I live in the UK and use quite good to mean brilliant.

I'm in the UK as well, and use 'quite good' to mean 'moderately good' or even to describe a curate's egg where the good slightly outweighs the bad.

Radio 4 does talk out of its arse (another lovely british expression). I live in the UK and use quite good to mean brilliant.
Anarchy and Herblore has it right, it can actually mean both, depending on context and opinion. Compare "quite good", where:
Average < quite good < good < very good < excellent (in my experience)
And "quite dead", which means "Totally dead. Not resting or pining for the fjords, but totally, 100% devoid of life".

Which is why "quite" can be a brilliantly tricksy little word to use.

Anarchy and Herblore has it right, it can actually mean both, depending on context and opinion. Compare "quite good", where:
Average < quite good < good < very good < excellent (in my experience)
And "quite dead", which means "Totally dead. Not resting or pining for the fjords, but totally, 100% devoid of life".

Which is why "quite" can be a brilliantly tricksy little word to use.

"Quite right" might be a better and more commonly used example instead of 'quite dead' here - 'quite right' meaning 100% correct.

Americans have different ways of saying things. They say `elevator, we say `lift...they say `President, we say `stupid psychopathic git....

...they say `President, we say `stupid psychopathic git....


As in 'Stupid Psychopathic Git of the MCC'?*





* cricket reference.

Anarchy and Herblore has it right, it can actually mean both, depending on context and opinion. Compare "quite good", where:
Average < quite good < good < very good < excellent (in my experience)
And "quite dead", which means "Totally dead. Not resting or pining for the fjords, but totally, 100% devoid of life".

Which is why "quite" can be a brilliantly tricksy little word to use.

Thats what I mean, it can mean different things in the same place.

This question is quite tricky.

It's true that when you use "quite" in the US it implies something is stronger. So "quite good" would be stronger then good. While I have heard it used to say things like "that's quite right" I don't think American's use "quite" very often. I have never heard anyone say "quite good" before. You also have to consider that their are regional differences in the US. I grew up in the midwest (Michigan and Ohio), and now live on the east coast (Philadelphia). It might be helpful if people stated their location when they comment.

Remind me to post the entire list of forbidden phrases and words some time.. it's interesting

*reminder*

Americans have different ways of saying things. They say `elevator, we say `lift...they say `President, we say `stupid psychopathic git....

lol

well i learned most of my english in the US and i'd use "quite good" in themeaning of " not as good as "good", but still okay"

Americans have different ways of saying things. They say `elevator, we say `lift...they say `President, we say `stupid psychopathic git....
that made me laugh out loud