 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsEnglish UsageBritish EnglishESL Teaching Learnglish.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010Morrison: you could have knocked me over
Hello: I'm not quite getting: "you could have knocked me over," as I expected something like: "this was so surprising, it knocked me over." --- [The midwife had been surprised at the emergence of a live child, as the mother was dead.] "I thought they were both dead, the mother and the child. When she popped out you could have knocked me over." Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 244 --- -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Thanks. > Marius Hancu I know it as "could have knocked me over with a feather". It's a common saying meaning you are very surprised. > > I'm not quite getting: > > "you could have knocked me over," [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > > Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 244 > I know it as "could have knocked me over with a feather". > It's a common saying meaning you are very surprised. So I was shellshocked and still and you could have knocked me over with a feather. I'm getting it. Thank you both. Marius Hancu >> > I'm not quite getting: >> > "you could have knocked me over," [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > a feather. > I'm getting it. Yes, that's the general idea: standing there dumbstruck, still taking in and processing the new information, possibly starting to get a bit light- headed and/or weak in the knees from the surprise, in any event not able to react and regain balance, let alone defend oneself actively, if someone should try to knock one over even using so slight an implement as a feather to do so. ´  SignatureRoland Hutchinson He calls himself "the Garden State's leading violist da gamba," ... comparable to being ruler of an exceptionally small duchy. --Newark (NJ) Star Ledger ( http://tinyurl.com/RolandIsNJ ) >>> > I'm not quite getting: >>> > "you could have knocked me over," [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > if someone should try to knock one over even using so slight an > implement as a feather to do so. Upon reflection, make that "standing there either dumbstruck or babbling incoherently..." SignatureRoland Hutchinson He calls himself "the Garden State's leading violist da gamba," ... comparable to being ruler of an exceptionally small duchy. --Newark (NJ) Star Ledger ( http://tinyurl.com/RolandIsNJ ) >Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon, p. 244 >--- "...with a feather" is understood. SignatureTony Cooper - Orlando, Florida >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> --- > "...with a feather" is understood. 'Er name's Doreen ...Well, spare me bloomin' days! You could er knocked me down wiv 'arf a brick! -- THE SENTIMENTAL BLOKE by C.J. Dennis SignatureRegards John for mail: my initials plus a u e at tpg dot com dot au |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2012 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.