onto something

English translation: maybe the children have a good idea

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	maybe the kids are onto something
Selected answer:	maybe the children have a good idea
Entered by:	Patricia Townshend (X)

14:57 Feb 16, 2008

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics

English term or phrase: onto something

"He has a list of available "dream job" vacations on the website. From cheesse maker to horse trainer to bike shop owner. I'd say that about 90 % are job titles the under-12 set would recognize. Maybe the kids are onto something."

What does it mean by "kids are onto something"?

jomo KudoZ activity Questions: 94 (2 open) (1 without valid answers) (1 closed without grading) Answers: 0 South Korea
Local time: 18:41

maybe the children have a good idea

Explanation:
To be onto something means to have a good idea about it, to have the right idea.

Selected response from:

Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Local time: 11:41

Grading comment

Thank you !
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +3

maybe the children have a good idea

Patricia Townshend (X)

know what they're talking about

Nesrin

AKhram

2 +2

has tapped into something

Bernhard Sulzer

Answers

5 mins confidence:

are onto something know what they're talking about

Explanation:
Maybe the kids know better/ know what they're talking about.

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Note added at 6 mins (2008-02-16 15:04:09 GMT)
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on·to (ŏn'tū', -tə, ôn'-) pronunciation
prep.

2. Informal. Fully aware of; informed about: The police are onto the robbers' plans.

http://www.answers.com/onto&r=67

Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 24

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

onto

maybe the children have a good idea

Explanation:
To be onto something means to have a good idea about it, to have the right idea.

Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Local time: 11:41
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 17

Grading comment

Thank you !

9 mins confidence:

onto >

Explanation:
are onto something = are planning or doing something

Also:
Onto - (informal) aware of the true nature, motive, or meaning of: I'm onto your tricks

AKhram
Local time: 12:41
Native speaker of:

Russian

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

has tapped into something

Explanation:
I ask myself why would the 'children" be onto something? Aren't they (or their parents possibly) the people who should be attracted to the vacation?

Without further context, it doesn't make much sense to me.
Would'nt it be

maybe the kids (as in the guys who run the website?) who have tapped into something, have found something (a concept OF offering particular job vacations the under-12 set is interested in) that will bring them much success with that young crowd in the future?

Unfortunately, the "He" at the beginnning does make me wonder what is really meant here.

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200607...
onto something

http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2008/01/11/1199988590456...
tapped into something

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-02-16 16:41:07 GMT)
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corr.: should be: "have" tapped into something

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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-02-16 18:49:20 GMT)
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typo corr.: wouldn't it be...

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 05:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 6

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English translation: maybe the children have a good idea

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