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"not all that" vs "not very"

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:38 am
by dsteve54
We typically (at least in common parlance) say the following:

"I (really) don't go shopping all that much."

and

"I (really) don't go shopping very much."

I can see both scenarios in the New Oxford American Dictionary; however, I am not sure if one is considered more informal than the other. Or are they both proper English?

Furthermore, if they are both legal, are they semantically equivalent, or does one have a nuance lacking in the other?

I was trying to explain the two phrases to a Russian in Russian, no less, and I began to doubt my own sanity. I found myself rehearsing both phrases over and over to see if one "seemed better" than the other.

At any rate, I would appreciate any comment about this matter.

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:29 pm
by Slava
I'd say "all that much" is used more in defense, "not very" is simply a statement.

As in,

Q. How much do you drink?

A1. I don't drink very much.
A2. I don't drink all that much.

A1 - statement of fact, doesn't drink much.
A2 - could go either way, but comes off as defensive. "What, you think I drink too much? I don't drink all that much."

Ne ochen' mnogo/chasto, or even simply malo.

As compared to: ne tak uzh mnogo/chasto.

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:39 pm
by dsteve54
Very good. Thank you!

For some reason, I just could not frame the situations myself. But your comment clarifies them for me.

As a bonus, thank you for the Russian versions! I was trying to decide if the one would involve "все так" or "так уж", and you were able to provide that for me.