Does “little did he know” mean he "knew nothing at all"?

Question

Does the phrase “little does/did (s)he know” mean the person knew nothing at all?

Or does it literally mean that there was some (little) knowledge?

I started pondering the specific meaning when I read the opening titles of Star Wars Episode VI:

Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction …

In this instance, I believe he did know nothing at all about those sinister schemes.

So, is it just a figure of speech to express that some poor soul should have known?

It means "he did not know <this specific thing>". So, in your example, Luke was completely unaware that the empire had secretly begun construction (otherwise, it wouldn't be very secret, would it?). But that doesn't mean he doesn't know that "2+2=4" or that Yoda is short and talks weird or that he has a strange crush on a woman who will turn out to be his sister... — Dan Bron, Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 18:42
As @DanBron said, it gives the sense of that person being completely unaware of a particular important fact or situation. — Robusto, Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 18:44
What?? His SISTER!?! Thanks for ruining that one... I suppose Darth Vader will turn out to be his father too... — Jim, Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 20:20
It may sound odd to a non-native speaker, that little means nothing at all, but it is a very specific idiom used in a slightly dramatic sense, to convey that a vital piece of information was not available to someone. Little did he know, as he turned the ignition, that someone had placed an explosive device in the boot of his car. — WS2, Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 21:29
'Little did he/she know...' is often used to highlight how someone who thinks they are in control/well informed, actually, is not. — Dan, Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 21:36

AndyT · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-21 08:42:31Z

4

Little when used as an adverb can mean:

not at all (used before a verb): He little knows what awaits him.

This is the same usage as in "little did he know", which hence means "he knew nothing about it".

As per Dan's comment on the question:

'Little did he/she know...' is often used to highlight how someone who thinks they are in control/well informed, actually, is not.

answered Dec 26, 2016 at 9:56

AndyT

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Aryan · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-26 09:45:54Z

1

"Little did he know..." means that "he did not know about ..."

For example:

Little does Luke know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction …

This would mean that Luke did not know that "the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction"

It can be re-written as:

Luke does not know that the GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun construction

(though the first one does sound better)

answered Dec 26, 2016 at 9:45

Aryan

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