What do you mean how do you mean
What do you mean how do you mean
What do you mean how do you mean
“How do you mean?” Is not correct English
Hello there,
Between the differences of What do you mean and How do you mean.
At the get-go, I’ve never come across ‘How do you mean’ ever in any conversations thus far. It kinda sounds weird to me too.
However, with the help of Google I managed to get the grasp of it but I still feel that it will be quite rare for you to stumble upon it to be honest.
Okay, so basically
What do you mean? (Refers to What are you trying to say? As in your intentions, thoughts and perhaps your own indication towards something.)
How do you mean? (Refers to the method or type which people are supposed to understand where you are coming from.)
Let’s say we are talking about a specific game and I am explaining something which you do not get, What do you mean (indicates that you are unclear of what I was trying to say.)
How do you mean in this contexts refers to in what matter or form do you mean in your exact words. The four words by itself is lacking a connector and thus something more preferable would be like this. So do you mean it like this? Or was this what you meant?
What do you mean OR How do you mean
nowherewr
New Member
I have come across ‘What do you mean’ and ‘How do you mean’? Could you please tell me what is the difference between these two?
Renaissance man
Senior Member
They are very similar.
«How do you mean?» is a more polite way of asking for an explanation.
«What do you mean?» is slightly more challenging, and can be said even though you aren’t sincerely interested in an explanation, but rather just expressing doubt, disapproval or scepticism.
For instance
— English is a typical subject-verb-object language.
— How do you mean, ‘subject-verb-object language’?
— Charles, I don’t think I love you anymore.
— What do you mean, ‘don’t love me anymore’?
Fabulist
Banned
Are you asking about these phrases as stand-alone sentences?
«What do you mean?»
«How do you mean?»
«How do you mean» by itself is unusual, and probably not actually «standard English,» although it is used in American English.
«What do you mean» is often the first part of a question: «What do you mean by that?» «What do you mean by your attitude?» «How do you mean» is not used in these situations as far as I know.
George French
Senior Member
They are very similar.
«How do you mean?» is a more polite way of asking for an explanation.
«What do you mean?» is slightly more challenging, and can be said even though you aren’t sincerely interested in an explanation, but rather just expressing doubt, disapproval or scepticism.
For instance
— English is a typical subject-verb-object language.
— How do you mean, ‘subject-verb-object language’?
— Charles, I don’t think I love you anymore.
— What do you mean, ‘don’t love me anymore’?
Wierd; «How do you mean» is one of those groupings of words out there apparently. Sounds wierd to me. I only use «What do you mean?»
Am I out on a limb here?
Fabulist
Banned
Barque
Banned
Something like asking «Do you want to check that again?» to suggest to someone that something should be checked again.
ribran
Senior Member
They are very similar.
«How do you mean?» is a more polite way of asking for an explanation.
«What do you mean?» is slightly more challenging, and can be said even though you aren’t sincerely interested in an explanation, but rather just expressing doubt, disapproval or scepticism.
For instance
— English is a typical subject-verb-object language.
— How do you mean, ‘subject-verb-object language’?
— Charles, I don’t think I love you anymore.
— What do you mean, ‘don’t love me anymore’?
Paulfromitaly
MODerator
modulus
Senior Member
I don’t think there is anything objectionable in what you quoted. If the intended meaning is «in what manner do you propose we can accomplish that,» then “how do you mean” seems reasonable to me.
However, there is another sense to “how do you mean?” which parallels “how are you called?” The use of “how” when the intended meaning is “what” is archaic in Standard English. You can find this usage, for example, in the works of Charles Dickens, a use that may have maintained in some regions, but otherwise considered archaic.
Added: I was directed to this thread by a recent question in a different thread that was closed and directed to this thread.
Thomas Tompion
Member Emeritus
Three cigarettes and a couple of turns about the room, and I had my response ready: How do you mean come at once? Regards. Bertie.
I append the comeback:
I mean come at once, you maddening half-wit.
What do you mean? would have been too precise here, less maddening.
How do you mean ? is far from archaic in BE: there are 94 examples in the BNC, fewer, of course, than for What do you mean? (978).
The COCA suggests that How do you mean? is still quite usual in AE (116 examples), again fewer than for What do you mean? (4485).
What do you mean how do you mean
What do you mean? 意味は何？
How do you mean? 全然聞かない。 間違うと思います 。 I think this question is incorrect.
What do you mean? = I don’t understand what you’re saying
How do you mean? = in what way do you mean that?
For example, «I don’t like penguins.»
«How do you mean?»
Is it their pointy beaks? The fact they only eat fish? Because there are none at the North Pole? Don’t you like them in zoos? In what way don’t you like penguins?
Символ показывает уровень знания интересующего вас языка и вашу подготовку. Выбирая ваш уровень знания языка, вы говорите пользователям как им нужно писать, чтобы вы могли их понять.
Мне трудно понимать даже короткие ответы на данном языке.
Могу задавать простые вопросы и понимаю простые ответы.
Могу формулировать все виды общих вопросов. Понимаю ответы средней длины и сложности.
Понимаю ответы любой длины и сложности.
Решайте свои проблемы проще в приложении!
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«What do you mean?» vs «what you mean?»
I looked it up online and came across the same question asked on different forums online, and all the answers say the only correct way is «what do you mean?», as a stand alone question.
But I have always been under the impression that «what you mean?» is in very common usage at least somewhere (I think it might be the UK but I am not sure). Because I got the habit of saying it without «do» for many years now and never questioned it sounding off until today.
Does it sound unnatural to native speakers to hear the question «what you mean?», by itself? I don’t mean grammatically correct or not, I mean if it is something you wouldn’t expect an educated native speaker to do.
2 Answers 2
In US English at least, «what you mean?», used as a stand-alone question is non-standard, but is a feature of some dialects, particularly low-income inner-city dialects, mostly as spoken by Black americans. Some people will look down on those who talk in this way. If a person, who does not come from a group that uses this pattern, adopts it, they may be considered as imitating or even mocking those who do use it, which might be thought disrespectful or even hostile.
I would advise against using this form unless you come from such a group (but then you wouldn’t be asking this question in this way) or a writing dialog for a fictional character who does come from such a group. And in that case, one must be very careful to avoid offense. Overuse or misuse of such dialect forms can be seen as mocking and hostile.
They’re used differently, e.g.:
This calls into question how «tall» is used in this context, for example, «The Matterhorn is tall.» Compared to K2 Compared to Ben Nevis?
Be sure to say what you mean.
In this usage, it calls into question the person said what was intended.
What do you mean how do you mean
How do you mean sounds unnatural.
What do you mean is better.
NG How dou you mean.
OK What do you mean.
I think it’s a British way to say it
Sorry, I’m Australian so we don’t say How do you mean.
Символ показывает уровень знания интересующего вас языка и вашу подготовку. Выбирая ваш уровень знания языка, вы говорите пользователям как им нужно писать, чтобы вы могли их понять.
Мне трудно понимать даже короткие ответы на данном языке.
Могу задавать простые вопросы и понимаю простые ответы.
Могу формулировать все виды общих вопросов. Понимаю ответы средней длины и сложности.
Понимаю ответы любой длины и сложности.
Решайте свои проблемы проще в приложении!
( 30 698 )