Rpsh Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
in a manner of speaking
’I saw him, Mr. Butterbur,' said a hobbit;' or leastways I didn't see him, if you take my meaning. He just vanished into thin air, in a manner of speaking.'
'You don't say, Mr. Mugwort!' said the landlord, looking puzzled.
'Yes I do!' replied Mugwort.' And I mean what I say, what's more.'
'There's some mistake somewhere,' said Butterbur, shaking his head. There was too much of that Mr. Underhill to go vanishing into thin air; or into thick air, as is more likely in this room.'
I think this phrase means that in a moment of saying a word ( He vanished) in this dialogue. Am I right? And I feel confound about this sentence suddenly: you don't say. Does it mean shut up?
'You don't say, Mr. Mugwort!' said the landlord, looking puzzled.
'Yes I do!' replied Mugwort.' And I mean what I say, what's more.'
'There's some mistake somewhere,' said Butterbur, shaking his head. There was too much of that Mr. Underhill to go vanishing into thin air; or into thick air, as is more likely in this room.'
I think this phrase means that in a moment of saying a word ( He vanished) in this dialogue. Am I right? And I feel confound about this sentence suddenly: you don't say. Does it mean shut up?
Top answer
"in a manner of speaking" is a set phrase indicating that a statement may not be literally true, or may be expressed in a slightly different way from usual, or something like that. " is a set expression showing the speaker's surprise at something that has been said.
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"in a manner of speaking" is a set phrase indicating that a statement may not be literally true, or may be expressed in a slightly different way from usual, or something like that.
"You don't say!" is a set expression showing the speaker's surprise at something that has been said.
"You don't say!" is a set expression showing the speaker's surprise at something that has been said.
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OK! I get it. It sounds like a dialect in the northern China. Thank you!
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