"Only just".

sistermagpie sistermagpie at earthlink.net
Fri Dec 12 02:03:31 UTC 2008


Cabal:
> If a student asked me, I'd say let's put it in the overall context. 
By that,
> I mean, Hermione is explaining her tardiness, that she "only just" 
got away
> meaning, "just now" because there was not earlier option.
> 
> If she'd said "Snape was there, and he was watching me and I only 
just got
> away." 
> 
> The other reason I say she is referring to just now is that if take 
away the
> contraction it is "I have only just got away" placing a definite 
sense time.

Magpie:
I'm with Cabal on this one because of the "have." It's placing it in 
time. And later she does seem to indicate she spoke to Flitwick.

Obviously, zanooda, you speak English very well-that's why your 
questions are always about things that are ambiguous in English to 
begin with!

-m





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