My colleagues often use "even" as in "Even I was thinking about that" instead of "I also was thinking about that". This usage seems to be widespread in India. Is it accepted elsewhere?
-
I've certainly heard it from non-IC1's in our Church, and it could sound a little dismissive to IC1 ears. 'John passed, Jill, Sue ... Ezekiel even.' intended to mean 'John passed, Jill, Sue ... and not forgetting Ezekiel.' or 'John passed, Jill, Sue ... and Ezekiel too.' or even 'John passed, Jill, Sue ... and of course Ezekiel.' But the default meaning remains 'John passed, Jill, Sue ... Ezekiel even managed to pass.'– Edwin AshworthCommented May 28, 2021 at 11:54
-
I hear even in this context as an addition of a seemingly low-bar example. Even I (someone who is not an expert) was thinking about that. Or "We were even considering starting over."– L. Scott JohnsonCommented May 28, 2021 at 13:45
-
normative is not a word I use in English. In spoken English, in response to someone, people use it. Even I know that.– LambieCommented May 28, 2021 at 14:36
-
I've deleted my answer.– Old BrixtonianCommented May 28, 2021 at 16:11
-
1Nikita, if you could pull in some actual citations containing examples that we could look at, it would help us understand better.– tchrist ♦Commented May 29, 2021 at 0:45
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
It's in the definition, number 1a for adverb, and yes it is common:
1a—used as an intensive to stress an extreme or highly unlikely condition or instance
// so simple even a child can do it
-
1It does not mean exactly "also" though -- "also" merely means another -- "even" implies that the additional is unusual in some way.– MaryCommented May 28, 2021 at 23:39