BfrE: In so much that

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Marius Hancu - 05 May 2009 08:48 GMT

Hello:

"In so much that," does it mean "to the extent that?" Doesn't fully fit,
I don't know why.

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[Widmerpool was wearing a strange overcoat, in terms of cut or
otherwise, generating comments from his fellow students]

As a matter of fact the overcoat was only remarkable in itself as a
vehicle for the comment it aroused, in so much that an element in
Widmerpool himself had proved indigestible to the community.

A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 8
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Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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CDB - 05 May 2009 14:02 GMT

> "In so much that," does it mean "to the extent that?" Doesn't fully
> fit, I don't know why.

> ------
> [Widmerpool was wearing a strange overcoat, in terms of cut or
> otherwise, generating comments from his fellow students]

> As a matter of fact the overcoat was only remarkable in itself as a
> vehicle for the comment it aroused, in so much that an element in
> Widmerpool himself had proved indigestible to the community.

> A Dance to the Music of Time, Spring, by Anthony Powell, p. 8
> ------

It looks as if it might be a combination of the meanings of "inasmuch
as" and "insofar as". The interesting thing is that it makes pretty
good sense: because and to the extent that.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009

BfrE: In so much that