Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Adverb Phrase 22. The adverb phrase today
is by and large. Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. If someone uses the
adverb phrase by and large it means mainly it means mostly. Let's continue.
You could also substitute other phrases such as for the most part, usually, on the
whole, etc. You know, depending on the situation one may fit a little better
than the other. To have nearly the same meaning . Okay . Let's continue. The origin
of this phrase actually comes from nautical terms. You know, nautical
relating to like the Navy or the sea or sailing. Nautical terms often used by
sailors dating back many centuries ago. Large basically was used when the wind
was blowing with you. So in your direction. In the direction you preferred. .
Okay. Therefore the wind was blowing from behind the ship and helping and
providing energy to move in that direction. So this is generally the
easier way of sailing. When the wind is going with you and it's helping you move
in that direction. That's the way you'd like it. Most of the time. That was referred
to as large. Okay. By basically meant that you were traveling in the direction
facing the wind or within six compass points of itself.
This was the harder one. This was where the wind is going against you. Okay. Let's
continue. The earliest known citing seems to be
from Samuel Sturay, in the Mariner's magazine 1669. So it's a long time ago. So
this, so this phrase for sailing terms goes back a long long way. Thus you see ...
So here's actually a quote from him in this 1969 magazine. "Thus you see the ship
handled in fair weather and foul. " Fair weather means good
weather or beautiful weather. Foul, of course, it means bad. In this case, " by and
large. And of course large was spelled very different way back then. All right.
Let's continue. Thus, to sail by and large meant you could sail in almost any
weather. So this is how it took on the meaning of mostly. This is why it ended up
being mostly. Because you, you can mostly sail in any weather or any type of thing.
Because you were skilled in both. Okay. Let's continue. All right. So we just have a
couple of examples here. Here's the first example number one. By and
large everything seemed to go smoothly. So everything mostly seemed to go
smoothly or for the most part everything went smoothly. So that's pretty much what
we mean with this first example. Number two. This speech is by and large , you know,
mostly or mainly or on the whole very well written. We just may need to make a
few slight adjustments . Okay. Anyway, I hope you got it. I hope it was clear. I hope it was
informative. Thank you for your time. Bye- bye.