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Taka Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
That's it.
That's it!
You may say it's a set phrase. But is there any case where you native speakers say 'It's that!' instead? If you do, what kind of situation it would be? And if you don't, why is it unacceptable?
You may say it's a set phrase. But is there any case where you native speakers say 'It's that!' instead? If you do, what kind of situation it would be? And if you don't, why is it unacceptable?
Top answer
" mostly signifies recognition of something abstract: "that is the answer I was looking for", "that is the right thing to do", "you are correct in your opinion", etc. " on the other hand suggests recognition of something concrete: it has an air of "pointing at something". Let's say you and a friend are peering into a mechanism of some kind, attempting to find out why it doesn't work.
- " mostly signifies recognition of something abstract: "that is the answer I was looking for", "that is the right thing to do", "you are correct in your opinion", etc.
- " on the other hand suggests recognition of something concrete: it has an air of "pointing at something".
- Let's say you and a friend are peering into a mechanism of some kind, attempting to find out why it doesn't work.
- Suddenly you have a moment of inspiration.
- You point at an oil-clogged cog.
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24 Answers
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Hello Taka
"That's it!" mostly signifies recognition of something abstract: "that is the answer I was looking for", "that is the right thing to do", "you are correct in your opinion", etc.
"It's that!" on the other hand suggests recognition of something concrete: it has an air of "pointing at something".
Let's say you and a friend are peering into a mechanism of some ki
"That's it!" mostly signifies recognition of something abstract: "that is the answer I was looking for", "that is the right thing to do", "you are correct in your opinion", etc.
"It's that!" on the other hand suggests recognition of something concrete: it has an air of "pointing at something".
Let's say you and a friend are peering into a mechanism of some ki
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MrPedantic"It's that!" on the other hand suggests recognition of something concrete: it has an air of "pointing at something".
Wouldn't you also point at something or someone sometimes when you say 'That's it'?
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Yes, that's true; I think the difference is that "it's that!" ("it's that!") carries a strong outward demonstrative sense, whereas "That's it!" may carry a demonstrative sense, but relates primarily to the inner sense of recognition.
Perhaps "it's that!" points to something "out there, in the world"; whereas "that's it!" points to something "in here, in my sense of the world
Perhaps "it's that!" points to something "out there, in the world"; whereas "that's it!" points to something "in here, in my sense of the world
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MrPedanticYes, that's true; I think the difference is that "it's that!" ("it's that!") carries a strong outward demonstrative sense, whereas "That's it!" may carry a demonstrative sense, but relates primarily to the inner sense of recognition.
Very interesting!MrPedanticPerhaps "it's that!" points to something "out
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Well, I feel somewhat precariously out on a limb here; but for both the "sudden realization" context and the "demonstrative" context, "the thing in question" would be a likely paraphrase.
That said, there are several other uses of "that's it", e.g.
1. That's it (i.e. "that's the final straw").
2. That's it (i.e. "I agree with you").
3. That's it? (i.e. "is that
That said, there are several other uses of "that's it", e.g.
1. That's it (i.e. "that's the final straw").
2. That's it (i.e. "I agree with you").
3. That's it? (i.e. "is that
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MrPedanticWell, I feel somewhat precariously out on a limb here; but for both the "sudden realization" context and the "demonstrative" context, "the thing in question" would be a likely paraphrase.
So why do you think there is such a semantic difference between 'That's is' and 'It's that' when the reference of 'it' is the same?
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I suppose if "that" is "the thing outside", and "it" is the "the thing inside", "that's it!" is an inward gesture; whereas "it's that!" is an outward gesture.
Perhaps with "that's it!", we suddenly recognize something abstract (in our minds); while with "it's that!", we suddenly recognize something physical (in the world).
It would be useful to hear someone else's opinion, though
Perhaps with "that's it!", we suddenly recognize something abstract (in our minds); while with "it's that!", we suddenly recognize something physical (in the world).
It would be useful to hear someone else's opinion, though
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MrPedanticI suppose if "that" is "the thing outside", and "it" is the "the thing inside"An insightful answer it is!
Just out of curiosity, MrP. Generally speaking, do you point your finger at what you refer to by 'it'?
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Perhaps "it's that!" points to something "out there, in the world"; whereas "that's it!" points to something "in here, in my sense of the world".Perhaps “that” points to something “out there, in the world”, i.e., what you are looking at, what we discovered, the oil-clogged cog, etc., the just-now observed; whereas, “it” points to something “in here”, i.e., w
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