"how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" ???

[nq:1]Do the following mean the same? "how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" To my non-native mind 'what' seems more logical.[/nq]
No, they aren't equivalent. "How do you mean" means something like "Could you elucidate?"
For example, if you say "He's strange," I probably wouldn't say "What do you mean?" since (a) I know what "He's strange" means, and (b) "What do you mean?" sounds like I

[nq:1]Do the following mean the same? "how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" To my non-native mind 'what' seems more logical.[/nq]
When did logic have much bearing on English idiom?

But perhaps the reason for using "How do you mean?" is to avoid the harsher "What do you mean?" For instance,"What exactly do you mean by that?" is an aggressive response to what has been taken as a veil

Adrian Bailey wrote on 23 Jan 2005:
[nq:2]Do the following mean the same? "how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" To my non-native mind 'what' seems more logical.[/nq]
[nq:1]No, they aren't equivalent. "How do you mean" means something like "Could you elucidate?" For example, if you say "He's ... like I'm objecting to your statement. I'd probably say "How do you mean?", meaning "In what w

[nq:1]Adrian Bailey wrote on 23 Jan 2005:[/nq]
[nq:2]"#:-) gps @poczta.onet.pl>" wrote No, they aren't equivalent. "How ... do you mean?", meaning "In what way is he strange?"[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd probably say just "How"?" or "How is he strange?" "How do you mean" is as strange to me as "How do you think?" The answer to both has to be "I don't know, and nobody else does either."[/nq]
Meb

[nq:1]Adrian Bailey wrote on 23 Jan 2005:[/nq]
[nq:2]"#:-) gps @poczta.onet.pl>" wrote No, they aren't equivalent. "How ... do you mean?", meaning "In what way is he strange?"[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd probably say just "How"?" or "How is he strange?" "How do you mean" is as strange to me as "How do you think?" The answer to both has to be "I don't know, and nobody else does either."[/nq]
"Ho

[nq:1]Do the following mean the same? "how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" To my non-native mind 'what' seems more logical.[/nq]
I've never heard "How do you mean?" exactly that way. What is commonly said is "How do you mean that?". That question is equivalent in meaning to "How do you intend that?", or in a less parallel but more likely way to say it, "What do you mean by that?"

lightbulb wrote on 23 Jan 2005:
[nq:1]"How do you mean" is common enough that I've heard and said it for years. Nobody has ever asked me "What do you mean?" when I've asked "How do you mean?"[/nq]
Maybe it's one of those occult idioms that I use or've heard and just don't remember

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[nq:1]Do the following mean the same? "how do you mean?" = "what do you mean?" To my non-native mind 'what' seems more logical.[/nq]
It depends on the context.

Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
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[nq:1]lightbulb wrote on 23 Jan 2005: [/nq]
[nq:2]"How do you mean" is common enough that I've heard ... do you mean?" when I've asked "How do you mean?"[/nq]
[nq:1]Maybe it's one of those occult idioms that I use or've heard and just don't remember[/nq]
Or've!
That makes me wonder why we are so mean to the word "have." Why do we spend so much time reducing the length of four lette

[nq:2]Adrian Bailey wrote on 23 Jan 2005: I'd probably say ... to be "I don't know, and nobody else does either."[/nq]
[nq:1]"How do you mean" is common enough that I've heard and said it foryears. Nobody has ever asked me "What do you mean?" when I've asked "How doyou mean?" MikeBut have they ever asked: "How do you mean?". =20[/nq]
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