Is it true that the word "rather" is always/usually used with negative emotional sense?
That is to say, "rather good" would be wrong, wouldn't it? And I should instead use "quite good", should I?
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Sign up to join this communityIs it true that the word "rather" is always/usually used with negative emotional sense?
That is to say, "rather good" would be wrong, wouldn't it? And I should instead use "quite good", should I?
"Rather good" is correct and fairly common in some (perhaps a little old-fashioned) British dialects.
It tends to be used as an ironic understatement to mean "very good".
I say! You must try this wine. It's rather good.
Rather has other uses: to express preferences, and to indicate agreement (again dated British use). I can't think of any situation where it has a specifically negative emotional sense.
The word "rather" is not always used negatively. Saying something is "rather good" is synonymous with saying it is "quite good".
This site gives a good summary of how the word can be used: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rather
Specifically, note that using it as "in some degree" gives a similar connotation to the following word, whereas using it as "to the contrary" would give a connotation opposite to the following word.
No. Not in any usage that I'm familiar with, in fact.
Rather!
Is a slightly dated British English interjection indicating emphatic agreement.
I'd rather have the red, thanks.
An indication of preference.
That's really rather good.
Indicates that it is, indeed, good. In fact, while it literally means similar to "fairly", it tends to be used as ironic understatement.