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Subject: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: Paganini on 11/22/05 at 10:57 am
I have a question about the expression "all but...".
Someone sent me a e-mail about an event that read, in part,
"...when you call to make a reservation (and reservations at this establishment are all but necessary), be sure to indicate that..."
Does that expression make sense? Is it proper usage to say "reservations are all but necessary" to mean "reservations are necessary"? Is that a real, legitimate expression, or is it one of those overly-complicated grammatically incorrect constructions people like to use to sound more sophisticated than they are?
It reminds me of the construction "reservations are nothing if not necessary", which is also overly-complicated, but at least that one makes sense to me logically.
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: karen on 11/22/05 at 11:08 am
I have a question about the expression "all but...".
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: Paganini on 11/22/05 at 11:12 am
Not claiming to be an expert here.
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: karen on 11/22/05 at 11:13 am
I understand the usual meaning of "all but", lke if someone says the room was "all but packed to the gills", that means nearly packed.
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: Paganini on 11/22/05 at 11:21 am
If you read the rest of my reply you'll see what I think the place is trying to say.
I'm not being clear -- I already KNOW what they MEANT, I'm just trying to understand whether that is a legitimate expression/construction for that usage, or if it's just an example of the incorrect things people sometimes say to sound smarter or more sophisticated than they are.
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: karen on 11/22/05 at 11:23 am
I'm not being clear -- I already KNOW what they MEANT, I'm just trying to understand whether that is a legitimate expression/construction for that usage, or if it's just an example of the incorrect things people sometimes say to sound smarter or more sophisticated than they are.
the second option I think. But it might be different depending on which country you are in.
Subject: Re: Question for Grammarians and Syntax Experts
Written By: Arwen on 11/22/05 at 12:32 pm
I'm not being clear -- I already KNOW what they MEANT, I'm just trying to understand whether that is a legitimate expression/construction for that usage, or if it's just an example of the incorrect things people sometimes say to sound smarter or more sophisticated than they are.
I think it's a legitimate usage.
Reservations, in this case, are NOT required. They will allow you to have a seat if one is available. However, based on their experience, an open seat is hard to come by...so, if you want to be sure that you have a spot...you need to make a reservation. I think it's a statement which is meant to encourage folks who may be considering the place last minute to give it a try...but not to get their hopes up.
It makes perfect sense to me.