What are you thinking of?

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Marius Hancu - 25 Jan 2007 01:02 GMT

Hello:

Is
"What are you thinking of?"
(frequently) used as an exclamation of surprise?

----------
"Controller! What an unexpected pleasure! Boys, what are you thinking
of? This is the Controller: this is his ford-ship, Mustapha Mond."

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, p. 40
----------

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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Tony Cooper - 25 Jan 2007 03:20 GMT

>Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, p. 40
>----------

I won't say this is wrong, but the usual - and common - form is "What
were you thinking of?". That's usually said to someone who has done
something stupid.

Doctor in the ER as he stitches up a finger: "You tried to clear the
blades when the engine was running? What were you thinking of?"

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Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

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Oleg Lego - 25 Jan 2007 05:24 GMT

The Tony Cooper entity posted thusly:

>>Hello:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>Doctor in the ER as he stitches up a finger: "You tried to clear the
>blades when the engine was running? What were you thinking of?"

In my dialect, the idiomatic way if "What were you thinking?"

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Tony Cooper - 25 Jan 2007 06:10 GMT

>The Tony Cooper entity posted thusly:
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
>In my dialect, the idiomatic way if "What were you thinking?"

I agree that the "of" can be, and often is, left off. Either version
could be heard. I was trying to stay parallel with Marius's version
and chose the option with the "of".

I think the important difference is tense. I can't see situations
where "are" would be used, but I do see/hear/use the "were" version
frequently.

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Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL

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Evan Kirshenbaum - 25 Jan 2007 05:54 GMT

>>Hello:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Doctor in the ER as he stitches up a finger: "You tried to clear the
> blades when the engine was running? What were you thinking of?"

Or "What were you thinking?" But that's not really the sense Huxley
was using. There it's more "What are you waiting for?" or "Where are
your manners?" The students, not having recognized the man, are just
standing there, when they should be standing and saluting, as they are
("The eyes of the saluting students almost popped out of their heads")
after he tells them who it is.

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Marius Hancu - 25 Jan 2007 08:08 GMT

> >>"Controller! What an unexpected pleasure! Boys, what are you thinking
> >>of? This is the Controller: this is his ford-ship, Mustapha Mond."

> There it's more "What are you waiting for?" or "Where are
> your manners?" The students, not having recognized the man, are just
> standing there, when they should be standing and saluting, as they are
> ("The eyes of the saluting students almost popped out of their heads")
> after he tells them who it is.

I think you're right.

Thank you all.
Marius Hancu

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Roland Hutchinson - 25 Jan 2007 14:26 GMT

>> >>"Controller! What an unexpected pleasure! Boys, what are you thinking
>> >>of? This is the Controller: this is his ford-ship, Mustapha Mond."
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>> ("The eyes of the saluting students almost popped out of their heads")
>> after he tells them who it is.

Agreed. It's the same "thinking of" as in: "Wear brown shoes with a tuxedo?
I wouldn't think of it!" or "Thirty years ago you wouldn't think of going
downtown after dark. It was too dangerous."

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Roland Hutchinson Will play viola da gamba for food.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007

What are you thinking of?