Question
28 January
- Japanese
-
English (US)
Closed question
Question about English (US)
What does down there mean?
What does down there mean?
This is part of a script of a listening comprehension test of English.
A: Excuse me, where's the elevator?
B: Down there, next to the lockers across from the restrooms.
A: Is it all the way at the end?
B: That's right, just before the stairs.
Question: Where is the elevator?
Answer: 1
A: Excuse me, where's the elevator?
B: Down there, next to the lockers across from the restrooms.
A: Is it all the way at the end?
B: That's right, just before the stairs.
Question: Where is the elevator?
Answer: 1
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- Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong)
- English (US) Near fluent
Suppose you are situated at the black arrow, down there means down the corridor, which basically implies at the end of the corridor.
- English (US)
It means "there". "down there" is informal, used in spoken English.
It would be less idiomatic to say "over there", in your example.
Highly-rated answerer
- Japanese
@just_a_random_name
Thanks for a reply. Then, is it correct to think that the reason why A says "Is it all the way at the end?" is to make sure the elevator is at the end of the corridor, not at the middle?
Thanks for a reply. Then, is it correct to think that the reason why A says "Is it all the way at the end?" is to make sure the elevator is at the end of the corridor, not at the middle?
- Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong)
- English (US) Near fluent
- Japanese
@comosedice
Then, is A a little rude if she is at work and hasn't met B before?
And, if this "down there" means exactly the same as simply "there", does it only mean that the elevator is in this direction, not the exat place?
Then, is A a little rude if she is at work and hasn't met B before?
And, if this "down there" means exactly the same as simply "there", does it only mean that the elevator is in this direction, not the exat place?
- Japanese
- English (US)
@eigobenkyouchuu It's informal (casual, but not rude), to say "down there" instead of "there". The addition of "down/up/over" can be meaningful ("down there" at a lower elevation, "up there" at a higher elevation, "over there" at the same elevation). But, in this case, "down" is just a filler word (no additional information or meaning), and it makes the statement less formal.
It's just a guess, but "down" may have been carried over from talking about things that are "downstream", in the direction of motion (or, in the direction of interest).
Highly-rated answerer
- Japanese
@comosedice
> informal (casual, but not rude)
OK, I understand.
> in this case, "down" is just a filler
I understand, but it seems difficult for me to distinguish the use. Is it a dialect or one of linguistic senses native speakers share?
> informal (casual, but not rude)
OK, I understand.
> in this case, "down" is just a filler
I understand, but it seems difficult for me to distinguish the use. Is it a dialect or one of linguistic senses native speakers share?
- English (US)
"down" is commonly used as a preposition indicating a direction (e.g., away from the speaker ) along the object of the preposition (down the road a mile, down the hallway toward the elevator).
Reconsidering the example, ... "down there" is implicitly "down the hallway to there", or "from here, along the hallway to there".
It is not a dialect. But, it is a shorter, less precise, less formal way of saying the intended meaning.
Highly-rated answerer
- Japanese
@comosedice
I see. I hope I get used to hearing and seeing "down there" by running into it over and over again from now on. Thanks for the answers!
I see. I hope I get used to hearing and seeing "down there" by running into it over and over again from now on. Thanks for the answers!
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