I've consulted different dictionaries but I've not found the usage of this structure like in the following example: ''I'm down to sell records but not my soul'' is it slang? What does it exactly means?
14
-
Without further context, it's hard to be sure, as 'down', 'put down', 'put someone down', 'put something down, 'put someone down to' and 'put something down to' have a wide variety of meanings. I'd guess at sense 4a given by Macmillan here: ... this meaning of put down 4 [TRANSITIVE] to write someone's name on a list, especially so that they can take part in something put someone down to do something: I've put you down to help with the food. [and then you'd say 'I'm down to ...' ]– Edwin AshworthFeb 22, 2014 at 15:51
-
No, that's not what I meant... The meaning I can infer from the example I wrote is that the speaker is committed to selling records... is it right?– gioFeb 22, 2014 at 16:12
-
possible duplicate of What is the difference between "it's up to you" and "it's down to you"?– FumbleFingersFeb 22, 2014 at 16:18
-
It's not a usage I'm familiar with, and I haven't found it in any of the dictionaries I've checked in. It does sound like slang.– Edwin AshworthFeb 22, 2014 at 16:18
-
@FF No; different structure (OP's has an agent, or rather 'responsible person', subject).– Edwin AshworthFeb 22, 2014 at 16:20
|
Show 9 more comments
4 Answers
You're looking in the wrong place for the wrong thing, so no wonder you're not finding it.
Dictionaries won't tell you the metaphor themes.
This down is certainly part of a construction, and there are a lot of constructions that use down.
Most of these constructions use one of the many metaphoric senses of Up/Down.
So, in this particular case, I'm down to VP can come from at least the following constructions:
I am down on the list of people who
VP.
i.e, my name is written on that list, implying that I mustVP
(this is the down of the phrasal verb write down)I am down for the purpose of
VP-ing.
i.e, I came down for that purpose, implying I am higher in authority than my addressee(s)
(this is a physical locative down, where down (here) represents a place)
With a gerund instead of an infinitive, however, one can access status Up/Down
- I am down to
VP-ing (again).
i.e, my status is at low ebb (this is the down of down to seeds and stems)
Go for the metaphors.
answered Feb 22, 2014 at 16:40
-
May I ask what metaphor is used here:
I'm down on the concept of literature?– lulalalaMay 9, 2016 at 1:58 -
(Be) down on
Xmakes use of theUp Is Good/Down Is Badtheme. The subject must be a sentient animate noun phrase, and the construction expresses the distaste of the subject forX, which must be a noun phrase, but may be either a gerund or an embedded question complement clause, like I'm down on skiing or She's down on whatever he suggests. May 9, 2016 at 3:06
I suspect it's a variation on the informal idiom "down with", "down to {infinitive}" being equivalent to "down with {gerund}". I can't find much in the way of citations to support this contention, but it seems to fit better than the more common senses of "down to" such as "attributable to" (e.g., "The great number of potholes this hear is down to the frequent snows.") or "connected to" (e.g., "She's a down to Earth person."), or some of the less savory senses of "down".
This is definitely slang. It's similar to this urban dictionary entry. The infinitive would most likely be something like "(to) be down". When you say you are down with something, it means you are okay with it or you have no reservations/inhibitions against it.
It's obviously a musician saying he's willing and eager to sell records but not his soul.
As to structure, yeah, it's slang.
-
I'll add, to say that you're "down" to doing something is an old-fashioned expression. Usually like, I'm down to do this but not that. A slang variation of "put me down for ... " Feb 23, 2014 at 6:16