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A better discount, I'll take it.

English translation: Give me a better discount and I'll take it.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:A better discount, I'll take it.
Selected answer:Give me a better discount and I'll take it.
Entered by: Kardi Kho

18:49 Oct 19, 2002
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
/ shopping
English term or phrase: A better discount, I'll take it.
Supposedly Hong Kong English.
Is he happy with the price, or haggling for a better one?
Paul Svensson
Local time: 20:33
to my chinese ears,
Explanation:
it seems that he's haggling for a better price. otherwise he would say 'a good discount, I'll take it'. this 'short English' is usually used by people living in Hong Kong, and also Singapore. they usually say 'can' instead of 'yes, I can'.I think this also applies here (in this sentece). The complete sentence would be 'give me a better discount, and I'll take it'.

HTH
Selected response from:

Kardi Kho
Indonesia
Local time: 07:33
Grading comment
Very convincing. Thanx!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +10"[Give me] a better discount [and] I'll take it." ? Context ??
Christopher Crockett
4 +9It depends
Kim Metzger
5 +4Give me a better dicount and I'll take it.
Vanessa Marques
4 +3to my chinese ears,
Kardi Kho
5 +1it appears
Karina Pelech


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it appears


Explanation:
that he already has a better discount, since he is saying 'give me it, I'll buy it at the price you're offering' (I'll take it)
What he doesn't say is 'thank you for giving me', or 'yes, that's a...' (a better discount)


Good luck ... :o)


Karina Pelech
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 31

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christopher Crockett: Certainly a possibility.
6 mins
  -> thank you Christopher ... :o)
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
It depends


Explanation:
But if this is the only information you have, I would say it means "This is a better discount. I accept the offer." Another possibility would be "If you offer me a better discount, I'll accept."


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 18:33
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 2249

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Karina Pelech: could be either, you're quite correct... :o)
5 mins
agree  Christopher Crockett: Certainly two possibilities. Any others ? Third one's the charm...
7 mins
agree  Marta Ruiz
26 mins
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: 60:40 in favour of this option, but without more context who the hell can really say!
1 hr
agree  Piotr Kurek
8 hrs
agree  Sarah Ponting: could be either
15 hrs
agree  Astrid Elke Witte: I think he is accepting the offer. That's what "I'll take it" normally means.
16 hrs
agree  CNF
17 hrs
agree  MikeGarcia
2 days 8 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
"[Give me] a better discount [and] I'll take it." ? Context ??


Explanation:
Hard to tell, without more context.

It *could* mean "[Give me] a better discount [and] I'll take it."

In which case, yes, he's haggling for a better price and, presumably, isn't happy with the one he's been quoted.

Having a complete sentence, verb and all in the first phrase, is rather important. It's certainly not a stand-alone statement, in American usage.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-10-19 19:00:56 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ACB and Kim\'s alternative reading is certainly possible.

In which case the full reconstruction would be something like :

\"[That\'s a] better discount [than the one I was offered before, therefore] I\'ll take it.\"

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 20:33
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 128

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Refugio: I think this is the right interpretation, the understood [and]. It has an almost Yiddish or New York flavor to it, and that is what it would mean in New York.
7 mins
  -> Yes, that's exactly the way I "heard" it --and the other alternative just didn't occur to me. NYC is a long way from HG, however. Thanks Refugio.
agree  Endre Both: I'd tend to agree with your original interpretation. If I'm happy with a discount, I'd probably say "Good discount, I take it", without comparing it to previous ones. Not that I'm sure. And I've never been anywhere near Hong Kong :-).
39 mins
  -> Another New Yorker weighs in. Thanks, Endre.
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab
1 hr
  -> Thanks, TT.
agree  Kardi Kho: agree with Endre
6 hrs
  -> Endre thanks you. And so do I.
agree  Chris Rowson (X): I have shopped in Hong Kong, I think it is this. But I also agree that the other reading is possible.
7 hrs
  -> It's the New York reading that will cinch it then. Thanks Chris.
agree  Bryan Crumpler: In accordance with english grammar rules, technically "and
8 hrs
  -> Either it's Hong Kong argot or it's New York argot --both outside the reach of grammatical law. Thanks, Crumpler.
agree  NancyLynn
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, NancyLynn.
agree  estenger
10 hrs
  -> Thanks, Estenger.
agree  airmailrpl
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, Airmailrpl.
agree  luskie: my first reading too (never been in HK thou :)
1 day 1 hr
  -> Curious that so many of us should have this as a first reading, when it clearly is ambiguous as it stands. Thanks, Luskie.
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Give me a better dicount and I'll take it.


Explanation:
Definitely that. Been to Honk Kong may times ;-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-10-19 20:29:03 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops! Hong Kong

Vanessa Marques
Portugal
Local time: 01:33
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Magda Dziadosz: definitely that in the Far East. Been there, heard this.
1 hr
agree  Kardi Kho
6 hrs
agree  NancyLynn
9 hrs
agree  Christopher Crockett: But, have you been to New York?
23 hrs
  -> No, never been to New York before but I've been to Hong Kong many times and lived in Macau for 18 years so I'm sure. Plus, Paul says it's supposed to be "Hong Kong English".
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
to my chinese ears,


Explanation:
it seems that he's haggling for a better price. otherwise he would say 'a good discount, I'll take it'. this 'short English' is usually used by people living in Hong Kong, and also Singapore. they usually say 'can' instead of 'yes, I can'.I think this also applies here (in this sentece). The complete sentence would be 'give me a better discount, and I'll take it'.

HTH

Kardi Kho
Indonesia
Local time: 07:33
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in pair: 35
Grading comment
Very convincing. Thanx!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NancyLynn
3 hrs
  -> thanks Nancy
agree  Christopher Crockett: It's either this or the opposite meaning.
17 hrs
  -> could be either, but i think Paul wants to know which one you prefer
agree  Magda Dziadosz: absolutely. In HK context.
1 day 16 hrs
  -> thanks Magda
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