Hi, please have a look at this conversation:
A: I’m granted a full scholarship for this semester.
B: Congratulations. That’s something.
=> I understand that B is expressing some compliment to A, but what exactly is B’s attitude? Does B mean “It’s very good of you!” or “It’s not bad”? Uhm… I ask so because with my non-native sense, I somehow feel that “that’s something” has the meaning “that’s just something”. Anyway, I’m not sure…
It means “That’s quite an achievement.” (It’s possible to have other meanings based on what was discussed prior to that and tone of voice of hte speaker, but in general, I would assume it was an expression of admiration.)
(Note: “I’ve been granted” would be more expected than “I’m granted” in American English.)
=> Do you imply that “I’m granted” is more expected in British English, Barb?
Hi,
It’s not really an AmE/BrE thing at all. ‘I’m granted (I am granted)’ suggests a regular occurrence - as in I’m granted so much for board and lodging every month. But ‘I’ve been granted (have been granted)’ refers to a grant that has just/recently been made.
Alan
Nessie, I’m trying to be careful. More than once, I’ve said “It should be this way, not that way” only to have a bunch of BrE speakers say “Actually, that way is how we say it all the time.” So I don’t imply that something IS said in BrE when I say it is NOT said that way in AmE… only that it’s how we say it in AmE.
Thanks for the elaboration, Alan. For all I knew, it was another one of those differences.