somewhat

[Masis]

In reality many 14th centures masters were elderly and well meaning but somewhat ineffective.

Hello. Please help me with this word somewhat. It is mean rather, pretty, quite, very? Or in some extend? Thanks a lot.

 

[katie_here]

To a degree, probably slightly.

If you had a scale and effective was at 1 and ineffective was at 10 then somewhat would be about 3 - 4 on the scale.

Does this make sense?

 

[Trisia]

In reality, many 14th century masters were elderly and well-meaning but somewhat ineffective.

Hello. Please help me with the word "somewhat." Does it mean "rather," "pretty," "quite," "very"? Or "to some extent"? Thanks a lot.

You are somewhat careless when writing your posts, Masis

From your list, I'd choose "to some extent" or "rather." Though I don't see much of a difference between them (except "very" which I don't think I'd use as a synonym for "somewhat"). It wasn't meant to give you a very precise notion of how incapable the masters were.

 

[Masis]

Thanks. There is another word in Bulgarian, but I can not explain to you ufrotunately. It is close to English somehow.

 

[katie_here]

Thanks. There is another word in Bulgarian, but I can not explain to you ufrotunately. It is close to English somehow.

Try on the Other Slavic Languages board.

 

[George French]

"In reality many 14th centures masters were elderly and well meaning but somewhat ineffective."

Somewhat is sometimes/often used ironically.

Ironic implies an attempt to be amusing or provocative by saying usually the opposite of what is meant, Definition at:- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sarcastically

Thus instead of somewhat meaning a little
it could be taken to mean a lot.

In this case I would suspect irony.. and I then to get the real meaning "somewhat" needs to be left out of the sentence or even replaced by completely. But one has to read the rest to discover the truth...

Of course this potential irony in somewhat ironic.

GF..

 

[Masis]

Thanks. I will translate this like rather.