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Just the thing for.....
......what his name is
Aug 23, 2019 12:24
4 yrs ago
English term

.................at all

English Other Cinema, Film, TV, Drama listening and comprehension
I can't understand what the actress is saying.
She says: "Grades I shouldn't wonder. ....................................... at all.
After "Grades I shouldn't wonder" I don't understand a word!


Link: https://youtu.be/4PoWXWYSVUQ

Time: 1:53 ---> 1:58

Thanks!
Responses
4 grains I shouldn't wonder, sweepings off the floor, if it's tea at all
5 +1 dregs I shouldn't wonder, sweepings off the floor, if it's tea at all
5 dregs
Change log

Aug 23, 2019 12:42: writeaway changed "Field (write-in)" from "How to murder a rich uncle (1957)" to "listening and comprehension "

Discussion

Daniel Slon (asker) Aug 29, 2019:
Hi Jane! Thanks for your explanation. It helped me to understand the phrase.
JaneTranslates Aug 29, 2019:
@Daniel Slon Are you having trouble understanding "I shouldn't wonder"? She's saying, "It wouldn't surprise me its grains/dregs, whatever is swept up off the floor, if there's any tea in it at all." That's a paraphrase, of course, but I hope it helps you understand the phrase.
Daniel Slon (asker) Aug 24, 2019:
Hi B D Finch! You're right. I've been searching everywhere for more than 10 years. The only thing I've found was a Cine Club in France and they had programmed this film subtitled in French! I've e-mailed them but they've answered me that they couldn't make me a copy because it was in 35mm and it was impossible for them. So, I gave up the searching and 10 days ago I've decided to extract all the lines of this film, in order to translate them into Portuguese and create the subtitles.
B D Finch Aug 24, 2019:
@Caryl The film's producers are most unlikely to still be alive! The film dates from 1957.
Daniel Slon (asker) Aug 24, 2019:
Hi Caryl! I've been searching the script of this film on the internet and I couldn't find it. Could you help me on this? I'd really love to have the original script in my hands. It will help me a lot, because I want to create the subtitles in Portuguese, and it will be the only subtitles that ever exists. Normally I've been able to find subtitles in other languages (Spanish, French, Italian) and I translate all the lines into Portuguese. But for this film, up to now, I couldn't find anything. That's why I'am extracting all the lines and afterwards I'll translate them. If you can help me finding the post-production script, I'll thank you a lot!
Caryl Swift Aug 24, 2019:
Post-Production Script Ask your friends to request whoever it is they're dealing with to send a copy of the post-production script. It shouldn't be a problem because it's in the interest of the film's producers to have the work subtitled as accurately as possible.
Daniel Slon (asker) Aug 23, 2019:
Phil, I'm having a hard time to transcribe this film. Not all movies are like this one. I've already transcribed many films for some friends of mine, because I live in Brazil and they ask me to transcribe all the lines, to translate them into Portuguese and create the subtitles. But I'm used to transcribe American films. I have much more problems to understand the British English, and when the actor's diction is not very clear is a real nightmare! But with the help of all of you, little by little, I'm transcribing all the lines. Thanks!
philgoddard Aug 23, 2019:
Whether it's dregs or grains, I think it's interesting that the lines are often not enunciated very clearly - I can see why you posted these questions. I wonder if all movies are like this, not always easy to transcribe.
Mark Robertson Aug 23, 2019:
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/dregs
Mark Robertson Aug 23, 2019:
@ All I have listened to it another couple of times. All I hear is dregs, which makes sense as "tea" can be made by pouring boiling water over the already brewed leaves in the pot, i.e. the dregs.
B D Finch Aug 23, 2019:
@Asker See the notes I added to my answer to explain both those points. While "dregs" would make sense, I am quite sure that isn't what she said. So, she's suggesting that either it is made from grain (i.e. not real tea, but a poor person's substitute) or that, if it's tea at all, it's spilt tea swept up off the floor, consisting of the dust etc. swept up from the floor with a bit of spilt tea in it.
philgoddard Aug 23, 2019:
I've listened to this several times, with an open mind, and I'm still hearing "dregs". I think it makes much more sense than "grains".
Daniel Slon (asker) Aug 23, 2019:
Hi B D Finch! I also hear: GRAINS. I'd like you to explain to me the meaning of the phrase: sweepings of the floor. I can't understando exactly the meaning of all this line: Grains I shouldn't wonder (does she mean that she doesn't care if it will remain some grains inside her cup of tea?) And "sweepings off the floor" I can't understand what she means. Could help me on this? Thanks a lot!

Responses

1 hr
Selected

grains I shouldn't wonder, sweepings off the floor, if it's tea at all

I definitely heard the "n" of "grains", so not "dregs".

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-08-23 13:56:46 GMT)
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She's suggesting that it's not really tea, but if it is tea at all its spilt tea swept up off the floor (so mixed with dust, dog hairs etc.).

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-08-23 13:57:30 GMT)
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Erratum: "it's spilt tea"

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-08-23 14:21:28 GMT)
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Tea used to be an expensive luxury and tea caddies were locked to stop the servants helping themselves to tea.

The reference below is, I think, about China, but in England, they might have used roasted grains of barley or wheat.

https://wattention.com › Interest › Food & Drink
This green tea contains grains of roasted brown rice and was originally drunk by poor people and the rice was added to serve as a filler and to reduce the price ...
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks again for your help!"
24 mins

dregs

Meaning the remains of tea leaves at the bottom of the cup.

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Note added at 25 mins (2019-08-23 12:50:27 GMT)
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Sweepings off the floor, if it's tea at all.
Peer comment(s):
neutral B D Finch : Daniel did say he didn't understand anything between that and "at all".
1 hr
Something went wrong...
+1
56 mins

dregs I shouldn't wonder, sweepings off the floor, if it's tea at all

Great stuff.
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : I don't see how this is an improvement on my answer. I left out "I shouldn't wonder" because Daniel has understood it correctly.
43 mins
agree Caryl Swift : I can hear the 'g' between the 'e' and the 's'
17 hrs
Something went wrong...
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