quite a bit

[presl]

Hi!

What does “quite a bit” mean in this context?

The Merriam Webster shows that “quite a bit” mean “a considerable amount”. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quite%20a%20bit
But, I do not think this definition fits the context below, because T-Bag just only found out that there’s a hole behind the toilet in Michael’s cell and assumed that they are [Michael, John, Sucre and Lincoln] planning to break out of this prison. So ... I guess, in this context, “quite a bit” just means “very few, a little”, right?


(Prison Break - T-Bag came around while Michael was talking his escaping plan with John and Sucre in the yard)

T-Bag: Feeling kind of left out, New York? California? Saint Louis? What are we discussing?

Michael: Talking baseball, actually.

T-Bag: Huh, now that's a subject I just happen to know quite a bit about.

(Then John answered their conversation is over and left with Michael and Sucre)

 

[Loob]

It has the same meaning, presl: "a considerable amount".

T-bag is saying he knows a lot about baseball; in so doing, he's suggesting he's going to join in the conversation.

 

[Gueal]

Hi!

I don't really understand the context. I would think from the speech extract that he means that he really does know a lot about baseball.

But maybe he is using it sarcastically, for example he means the opposite. He wants to emphasise that he doesn't know anything about the escape plan but wants to. He could be saying: "I know a lot about baseball, but nothing about your escape plan." This depends on his tone of voice when he says it.

Note "escape plan" not "escaping plan"

 

[Franzi]

I don't really understand the context.

That's because the quote is missing what Michael and the others said. T-Bag walks into a conversation where the prisoners who are planning to escape are discussing their plan by using US place names as code for various parts of the prison. (They're using going from coast to coast as a metaphor for the escape, so their cell is New York and wherever they end up outside the walls is San Francisco or something like that.)

I agree that T-Bag is saying that he does know a lot about baseball. He's trying to force them to let him join the conversation (and the escape).

 

[presl]

It has the same meaning, presl: "a considerable amount".

T-bag is saying he knows a lot about baseball; in so doing, he's suggesting he's going to join in the conversation.

1) Loob, thanks for your explanation for me! You had a good one. I get it this time!

2) Gueal, sorry I did not make my context clear for you, I hope I could tell more background information to you in my own words next time. And thanks for your correction.

3) Franzi! You made my context clearer for Gueal! ... thank you! Hope you will have a good lunch!