Anonymous  +  824278 Fri, 17 Jul 09 09:09 PM Hey everyone. :) I have a small question and I'd be very thankful if anyone could help me. How would one have to understand the following: "I think you're swell!" My question is regarding the "swell" part. My own intuition tells me it's "cool" or "great", but what does it actually mean? How should I understand it and is it mostly used in the UK? Thanks a bunch. Anonymous

	Mr Wordy  +  824314 Fri, 17 Jul 09 10:05 PM Anonymous “My own intuition tells me it's "cool" or "great", but what does it actually mean? How should I understand it and is it mostly used in the UK?”     Yes, that's pretty much what it means. It's not used at all in the UK. It's an Americanism, and rather a dated one if I'm not mistaken. A native American English speaker might be able to confirm that. Mr Wordy Joined on Tue, May 27 2008 Senior Member 2,359 Native British English speaker American English, Countries, United States, United Kingdom, Great Britain, American, Languages

	RayH  +  824316 Fri, 17 Jul 09 10:09 PM Mr Wordy “rather a dated one if I'm not mistaken” Yes, it is. About the only place you are likely to hear it is on old TV shows and movies from the '40s, '50s and '60s. RayH Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008 Contributing Member 1,555 Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.

	MrPedantic  +  824356 Fri, 17 Jul 09 11:32 PM If you were to hear it in the UK, it would most probably be in conscious parody of old films, US tv shows, etc., and probably in a context of sarcasm ("Well, that's just swell", etc.).   (It would be quite a weak form of humour.)   MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Context

	Clive  +  824360 Fri, 17 Jul 09 11:39 PM Hi, Rodgers and Hart wrote these lyrics in 1927. Thou swell! Thou witty! Thou sweet! Thou grand! Wouldst kiss me pretty? Wouldst hold my hand?   Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,628 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Writing, Songs, Lyrics