don't tell much of a story [on hold]
I have one confusion on the following paragraph:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly ordinary-- don't tell much of a story. She's a good student, and teachers say the nice things that they say about bright students. "
Here, what is the phrase "don't tell much of a story" in the context mean? What is the role it plays in the first sentence?
My understanding is that it links the reverse meanings between the first sentence and the second one. But I am not able to know the its exact meaning. Hope you guys could help me out. Thanks a lot!
regards
Xiangyi
american-english
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
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put on hold as off-topic by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ 2 days ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
I have one confusion on the following paragraph:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly ordinary-- don't tell much of a story. She's a good student, and teachers say the nice things that they say about bright students. "
Here, what is the phrase "don't tell much of a story" in the context mean? What is the role it plays in the first sentence?
My understanding is that it links the reverse meanings between the first sentence and the second one. But I am not able to know the its exact meaning. Hope you guys could help me out. Thanks a lot!
regards
Xiangyi
american-english
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
put on hold as off-topic by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ 2 days ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
I have one confusion on the following paragraph:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly ordinary-- don't tell much of a story. She's a good student, and teachers say the nice things that they say about bright students. "
Here, what is the phrase "don't tell much of a story" in the context mean? What is the role it plays in the first sentence?
My understanding is that it links the reverse meanings between the first sentence and the second one. But I am not able to know the its exact meaning. Hope you guys could help me out. Thanks a lot!
regards
Xiangyi
american-english
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I have one confusion on the following paragraph:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly ordinary-- don't tell much of a story. She's a good student, and teachers say the nice things that they say about bright students. "
Here, what is the phrase "don't tell much of a story" in the context mean? What is the role it plays in the first sentence?
My understanding is that it links the reverse meanings between the first sentence and the second one. But I am not able to know the its exact meaning. Hope you guys could help me out. Thanks a lot!
regards
Xiangyi
american-english
american-english
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
asked 2 days ago
XiangYi ZhangXiangYi Zhang
31
31
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
XiangYi Zhang is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
put on hold as off-topic by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ 2 days ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
put on hold as off-topic by Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist♦ 2 days ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Janus Bahs Jacquet, tchrist
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
From the idiom: be not much of a (something) TFD
to be particularly unimpressive in some capacity.
As in be not much of a story:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly
ordinary-- don't tell much of a story.
would be interpreted:
"Grandma Frieda's college records are ordinary, unimpressive and of no particular note."
Her record does not stand out when compared to the many. Hers is rather mundane.
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
add a comment |
The phrase is missing the word "they" -- the records don't tell much of a story. With "they" before "don't," the meaning is clear.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
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Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
From the idiom: be not much of a (something) TFD
to be particularly unimpressive in some capacity.
As in be not much of a story:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly
ordinary-- don't tell much of a story.
would be interpreted:
"Grandma Frieda's college records are ordinary, unimpressive and of no particular note."
Her record does not stand out when compared to the many. Hers is rather mundane.
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
add a comment |
From the idiom: be not much of a (something) TFD
to be particularly unimpressive in some capacity.
As in be not much of a story:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly
ordinary-- don't tell much of a story.
would be interpreted:
"Grandma Frieda's college records are ordinary, unimpressive and of no particular note."
Her record does not stand out when compared to the many. Hers is rather mundane.
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
add a comment |
From the idiom: be not much of a (something) TFD
to be particularly unimpressive in some capacity.
As in be not much of a story:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly
ordinary-- don't tell much of a story.
would be interpreted:
"Grandma Frieda's college records are ordinary, unimpressive and of no particular note."
Her record does not stand out when compared to the many. Hers is rather mundane.
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
From the idiom: be not much of a (something) TFD
to be particularly unimpressive in some capacity.
As in be not much of a story:
"At one level, my Grandma Frieda's college records are utterly
ordinary-- don't tell much of a story.
would be interpreted:
"Grandma Frieda's college records are ordinary, unimpressive and of no particular note."
Her record does not stand out when compared to the many. Hers is rather mundane.
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
answered 2 days ago
lbflbf
19.7k22370
19.7k22370
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
add a comment |
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
Thanks for such a clear explanation!
– XiangYi Zhang
2 days ago
add a comment |
The phrase is missing the word "they" -- the records don't tell much of a story. With "they" before "don't," the meaning is clear.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
The phrase is missing the word "they" -- the records don't tell much of a story. With "they" before "don't," the meaning is clear.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
The phrase is missing the word "they" -- the records don't tell much of a story. With "they" before "don't," the meaning is clear.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
The phrase is missing the word "they" -- the records don't tell much of a story. With "they" before "don't," the meaning is clear.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
answered 2 days ago
Alana ForsythAlana Forsyth
493
493
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Alana Forsyth is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
What reverse meanings do you mean? The college records not telling much of a story is not the reverse of the college records being utterly ordinary – it’s a reiteration of their ordinariness.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
2 days ago
I think I know what you mean, but take another look at the 2nd sentence. Teachers don't say anything extraordinary about her; they just say the ordinary things (albeit nice things) that they commonly say about bright students. "At one level" seems to be setting up a transition to something out of the ordinary (perhaps an interesting story about her college experience), but it doesn't begin in the 2nd sentence. Maybe it does in the 3rd or thereafter. Always err on the side of too much context versus too little to get the best answers.
– KannE
2 days ago