0
Silak12 Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The use of "what with" and "it" here?
Hi! everyone.
Could someone help me understand the use of "what with" and "it" in the following coloured sentence? I could not understand this whole sentence; could someone rephrase it? And what purpose does "it" serve here? I have never heard or read this construction "it is the chances.......And the numbers at the end are also causing confusion what are those?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says that if you hold a lungful of air you can survive in the total vacuum of space for about thirty seconds. However it goes on to say that what with space being the mind boggling size it is the chances of getting picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are two to the power of two hundred and sixty-seven thousand seven hundred and nine to one against.
Thanks.
Could someone help me understand the use of "what with" and "it" in the following coloured sentence? I could not understand this whole sentence; could someone rephrase it? And what purpose does "it" serve here? I have never heard or read this construction "it is the chances.......And the numbers at the end are also causing confusion what are those?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says that if you hold a lungful of air you can survive in the total vacuum of space for about thirty seconds. However it goes on to say that what with space being the mind boggling size it is the chances of getting picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are two to the power of two hundred and sixty-seven thousand seven hundred and nine to one against.
Thanks.
Top answer
Despite appearances, "it is the chances" is not a phrase. "what with space being the mind boggling size (that) it is" is a parethentical phrase pointing out that space is mind-bogglingly big, which explains the very small chance of being picked up. "what with" is an idiomatic expression used to introduce an ancillary or explanatory fact.
- Despite appearances, "it is the chances" is not a phrase.
- "what with space being the mind boggling size (that) it is" is a parethentical phrase pointing out that space is mind-bogglingly big, which explains the very small chance of being picked up.
- "what with" is an idiomatic expression used to introduce an ancillary or explanatory fact.
- The rest of the sentence is: However it goes on to say that the chances of getting picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are 2^267709 to one against.
- "2^267709 to one against" expresses, as odds, an extremely low probability (one chance in 2^267709, as near as makes no difference).
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
Despite appearances, "it is the chances" is not a phrase. "what with space being the mind boggling size (that) it is" is a parethentical phrase pointing out that space is mind-bogglingly big, which explains the very small chance of being picked up. "what with" is an idiomatic expression used to introduce an ancillary or explanatory fact.
The rest of the sentence is:
However it go
The rest of the sentence is:
However it go
00
Thanks GPY for your helpful reply.
I guess apart from your definition of "what with" the following definition might be applicable here as well.
What with = Taking into consideration, because of, as in What with all you have to carry, we should take a taxi.
Source
What do you think sir?
I guess apart from your definition of "what with" the following definition might be applicable here as well.
What with = Taking into consideration, because of, as in What with all you have to carry, we should take a taxi.
Source
What do you think sir?
00
silak12I guess apart from your definition of "what with" the following definition might be applicable here as well.What with = Taking into consideration, because of, as in What with all you have to carry, we should take a taxi.Yes, this is the same meaning.
0
Related Questions