Leigh's Lingua #8: "Great"

English speakers make it very hard for English learners sometimes.  When English speakers say, "Great!" they can mean:

• Hey, that's wonderful! or
• Oh no, it's terrible!

"Great" has a root in the German word "Gross" --- which means "large."   Strangely, in English slang, "gross" now means "quite disgusting"!   But you can also buy things "in gross" --- that is, in larger amounts for a cheaper price.

To understand the exclamation "Great!" in English -- you have to look at your speaker.  Is he or she smiling -- happy and contented?  Then it means "Hey, that's wonderful!"  But if he or she is frowning... unhappy... then it means, "Oh no, it's terrible!"

Tell me about the last time you heard the exclamation, "Great!"  --- Was it with a smile?  Or was the speaker unhappy?

I think you are doing "great" to read this far in my blog.  I am smiling.  "Great, ESL learners!"