Totally spies?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi,
I assume many of you have watched the cartoon “Totally spies”, right? :slight_smile:
I just wonder why it is “Totally” here. “totally” is always an adverb, so what do they imply when using “totally” here? How can it go with the noun “spies”?

Please let me know your idea
Many thanks in advance
Nessie :wink:

2

Hello Nessie,

In mildly humorous usage, adverbs can modify noun phrases. The mild humour lies in the unexpectedness of the collocation.

For instance, you often hear “That’s so X!”, where X is a noun or pronoun phrase, e.g.

  1. That’s so you = that’s so (characteristic of) you.
  2. That’s so 2007 = that’s so (like something I might have encountered in) 2007 = that’s so old-fashioned.

MrP

3

Thank you very much, MrP :slight_smile:

Nevertheless, since I’m not a native speaker, I’m not sure I can understand “totally spies” in a correct humorous way, so could you please specify it?
Many thanks in advance
Nessie :slight_smile:

4

Hello Nessie,

I don’t know the cartoon, unfortunately; but “totally spies” says to me “being spies in a particularly thorough way”.

But maybe someone who has seen the cartoon will stop by and let us know!

All the best,

MrP

5

Yea, I also hope so, MrP. But many thanks for your helpful idea anyway :slight_smile:

6

The Wikipedia entry calls them “superspies”; to be a superspy, you would have to be totally a spy.

MrP

7

I have to admit this cartoon was one of my guilty pleasures in the past and I had an impression that the girls were having fun (being spies), also, that there was a “totally cool” element in being a real spy.

“Cool” might be the keyword here. Just my two cents. :wink:

8

Here’s more “totally + noun”.

  1. Lose the remote control, and enjoy television as you never have before at Saturday’s grand opening of Totally TV, a collection of animated art from Walt Disney TV productions, at Houston’s Fine Toon Cartoon Art Gallery.

Title: HITS OF THE WEEKEND;HERE’S WHAT’S WORTH CHECKING OUT;
Author: Staff
Source: Houston Chronicle

…

  1. But back to basics was hardly boring. Barbie grew more hair and became the super-popular Totally Hair Barbie. She dressed up in Bob Mackie designer gowns, twice.

Title: Reinventing … toyland / Making money is child’'s play
Author: Ellen Neuborne
Source: USA Today

…

9

Hi Nessie,

I have never heard of your spies, either. That doesn’t really matter because ‘totally’+ a noun simply means ‘all about and nothing but’ concerning the noun you use.

Alan

10

Thanks a lot for your clear explaination, (Grandpa) Alan :stuck_out_tongue:

I got it now. By the way, “Totally spies” is a cartoon (mostly for children and teenagers) in which three teenage girls work as undercover spies :slight_smile:
Just one more thing: I assume the use of “totally” this way is informal, isn’t it?