In the listening lesson ‘The Bathroom!’ I said:
Not so much is a great expression! It started out as slang amongst young adults, but I notice it more and more in mainstream newspapers and magazines, for example in this editorial from one of Canada’s major newspapers:
National Post editorial board: Michaelle Jean is doing a great job; Michael Ignatieff not so much
In English, not so much is used the like expression not really - a less forceful or less definitive way of saying no. Saying not so much is also a way of being funny! You use this when you want to dismiss an idea, or say that you didn’t really like something.
Note: using not so much this way has nothing to do with the adverb so much!
More examples:
Afghanistan loves General McChrystal. Eikenberry? Not so much. [Foreign Policy magazine]
China Likes Euro, Yen; Dollar Not So Much [China Investor]
Tom Cruise can conquer the world – but a car door, not so much. [Gawker.com]
This used to be a Conservative issue. Today, not so much. [Maclean’s magazine]
Elvis Presley was so good-looking in his younger years! In his older years? Not so much!
Don’t worry if you don’t feel comfortable using not so much in conversation. Now you’ll know what it means when you see it/hear it, and the more times you see it/hear it, the more comfortable you’ll become with it!
Melanie is a TESL-certified English teacher. She lives near Toronto, Canada. Through her blog, videos, podcasts, and social media, she helps thousands of people around the world improve their English. She makes English a little less confusing and a little more fun! She also helps people understand Canadian and American culture. She believes that natural interaction with a native speaker helps people practice what they have learned and builds their confidence with English!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, Melanie! Another great post. What would you say about "not that much"?
Hmm…good question!
'Not that much' is used when you want to say how much you didn't like someone/something:
A: "I really liked that movie! Did you like it?"
B: "Well, I didn't like it that much."
… or how much of something you want:
A: "How much milk do you want in your coffee?"
B: "Not that much. Maybe a little bit."
That's all I can think of right now. If I think of anything else, I'll add another comment!
Thanks for reading & for taking the time to leave a comment!