Just as happy he couldn't

[nq:1]How could this sentence be understood? He was just as happy he couldn't. I don't know just from the sentence whether he was happy or not happy.[/nq]
Without context it is impossible to guess the situation.

I'd say that the person's mood was unchanged, even if he couldn't (do whatever task was being discussed). -- Skitt (in Hayward, California) www.geocities.com/opus731/

[nq:2]How could this sentence be understood? He was just as ... from the sentence whether he was happy or not happy.[/nq]
[nq:1]Without context it is impossible to guess the situation. I'd say that the person's mood was unchanged, even if he couldn't (do whatever task was being discussed).[/nq]
Try this context:

He was invited to his mother-in-law's birthday party, but his compan

[nq:1] Try this context: He was invited to his mother-in-law's birthday party, but his company had a required meeting that ... just as happy he couldn't. Not a sentence I would right, but the meaning comes across in this context. Innit?[/nq]
I appreciate your replies, Skip and Tony. I got it well from what you put above. just as happy is similar to "just as well" seen as a set phrase in dicti

[nq:1]How could this sentence be understood? He was just as happy he couldn't. I don't know just from the sentence whether he was happy or not happy.[/nq]
Consider an example, which might be incorrect because you've given us no context.

A man's wife asked him to clean out their cess pit because the lavatory was backed up. Normally, he would be happy to oblige his wife, even though cl

[nq:1]Not a sentence I would right,[/nq]
Oy!

John Varela
(Trade "OLD" lamps for "NEW" for email.)
I apologize for munging the address but the spam is too much.

[nq:2]Not a sentence I would right,[/nq]
[nq:1]Oy![/nq]
Gee, I just lost a bet. Re-reading that post I bet myself that no one would notice.

[nq:1] Not a sentence I would right[/nq]
I couldn't believe you rote it, either.

-- Mike Bandy

} On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 01:18:41 GMT, "John Varela"

}

}>
}>> Not a sentence I would right,
}>
}>Oy!
}
} Gee, I just lost a bet. Re-reading that post I bet myself that no one } would notice.
Oh, people notice. In fact, I just lost what might have developed into a little bet that old Tony has a better sense of humor than I had given him credit f

[nq:1]}> }>> Not a sentence I would right, }> }>Oy! } } Gee, I just lost a bet. Re-reading that ... sense of humor than I had given him credit for, except that I shrugged it off as a sub-Oy!able thinko.[/nq]
"At last shrugged" by Ann Rand. I wonder y I thought of that?

}
}>

}>}

}>}>
}>}>> Not a sentence I would right,
}>}>
}>}>Oy!
}>}
}>} Gee, I just lost a bet. Re-reading that post I bet myself that no one }>} would notice.
}>
}>Oh, people notice. In fact, I just lost what might have developed into a }>little bet that old Tony has a better sense of humor than I