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  • Is there any misunderstanding at Sam's answer?

  • Isn't it infered that Sam means "nothing serious"?

Jenny: "I have to leave the office and go back home at once – something's happened".

Sam: "Oh... I hope it's nothing."

Jenny: "It IS something! Haven't you heard me?"

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  • The whole exchange (other than Sam's kind words) sounds unidiomatic. I'll rephrase: Jenny: "I have to leave the office and go back home at once – something's happened." // Sam: "Oh ... I hope it's nothing." //// Jenny's comeback (as "I've said something has happened!" would be very unusual, perhaps conceivable under obvious stress. Sam's answer certainly would be seen by 99+% of competent native speakers as meaning 'Oh, I hope it's nothing serious.' Which admittedly sounds more natural here.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 12:55
  • @EdwinAshworth Ok, I've edit. Could you write it as an answer? That's what I was looking for.
    – tremendows
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 13:13
  • No; I'd say this should be asked on our sister site for more basic questions, ELL.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 14:33

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"I hope it's nothing" sounds perfectly fine to my AE ears, and indeed implies nothing serious, although I'd agree with a previous commenter that "I hope it's nothing serious" sounds more natural in this particular context.

"It's nothing" as a complete statement is more often heard in response to an expression of gratitude or, sometimes, an apology:

A: "Thank you for you help in this matter."
B: "It's nothing."

A: "I'm sorry I messed up your work."
B: "It's nothing. (Don't worry about it.)"

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    I find "I hope it's nothing" decidedly odd, as though Sam is saying "I hope it turns out to be a false alarm" even though Jenny may already know that it is something serious.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 13:50
  • Nice @KateBunting , could you share your answer? Jenny may know, but Sam does not has to know if it's serious or not.
    – tremendows
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 14:14
  • @KateBunting Strictly from the above sentences, Sam can't infer whether Jenny knows it's serious. If she had said ~ "Something's wrong" instead of "Something happened", I'd agree a reply like "It's nothing" would've been odd.
    – exastris
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 14:22
  • @exastris Sam doesn't know whether Jenny knows it's something serious, but for all he knows it might be. I would expect him to say "I hope it's nothing serious."
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 14:31
  • "I hope it's something and nothing" is also idiomatic, acknowledging the alarm (Sam is only aware that there is an alarm) and expressing hope it is a false one, a mountain being made out of a molehill.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Dec 22, 2020 at 15:33

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