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all too-real

English translation: all too real

17:30 Aug 24, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: all too-real
The painstaking approach that the fictional Jacob Grimm had taken was reflected in teh planning and preparation of this all too-real present-day killer.
Buttercup
Selected answer:all too real
Explanation:
I assume you're wondering about the placement or need of a hyphen? I have seen this phrase a lot and it never has a hypen; if it did, it woudl have to be: all-too-real. Which I have never seen.

The meaning of it: "unfortunately, this is reality. It would be better if it stayed fiction...".

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 19:52:46 GMT)
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In response to more responses...
Normally all two-word compound demonstrative adjectives should be hypenated, and on reflection (I really must have seen it used) even the three-word "all-too-real" should be hypenated. But in this case, when the following "present-day" already contains a hyphen, it may be distracting to the eye to be presented with three hyphens spread over only five words.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 19:53:30 GMT)
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Four words -- I counted 'killer' as part of the phrase.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 20:03:24 GMT)
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Good grief -- see what I mean about the distraction of so many hyphens? I can't even count correctly! Five words, not four! '1,All, 2,too 3,real, 4,present, 5day'. I hope this is right. I claim overwork.
Selected response from:

Anton Baer
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:33
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +10all too real
Anton Baer
4 +3real-life
NancyLynn
4all too - for emphasis
sergey (X)
4only-too-real
Refugio


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
real-life


Explanation:
The second one is a real-life killer, and the implication is that this is disastrous. The first one is fictional, but the second one, unfortunately, is real.

NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 08:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 75

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  MikeGarcia
2 mins
agree  Will Matter
3 mins
agree  Mark Nathan
2 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
all too - for emphasis


Explanation:
.

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Note added at 6 mins (2006-08-24 17:37:26 GMT)
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all too —— used to emphasize that something is the case to an extreme or unwelcome extent : failures are all too common.

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Note added at 8 mins (2006-08-24 17:38:50 GMT)
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about the hyphen - shouldn't be there at all

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Note added at 10 mins (2006-08-24 17:41:02 GMT)
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all too real - too graphic - with gory details

sergey (X)
Local time: 13:33
PRO pts in category: 12
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +10
all too real


Explanation:
I assume you're wondering about the placement or need of a hyphen? I have seen this phrase a lot and it never has a hypen; if it did, it woudl have to be: all-too-real. Which I have never seen.

The meaning of it: "unfortunately, this is reality. It would be better if it stayed fiction...".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 19:52:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In response to more responses...
Normally all two-word compound demonstrative adjectives should be hypenated, and on reflection (I really must have seen it used) even the three-word "all-too-real" should be hypenated. But in this case, when the following "present-day" already contains a hyphen, it may be distracting to the eye to be presented with three hyphens spread over only five words.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 19:53:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Four words -- I counted 'killer' as part of the phrase.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2006-08-24 20:03:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Good grief -- see what I mean about the distraction of so many hyphens? I can't even count correctly! Five words, not four! '1,All, 2,too 3,real, 4,present, 5day'. I hope this is right. I claim overwork.

Anton Baer
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:33
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Knowles: quick google shows that "all-too-real" is quite common, as is "all too real", but this version is wrong.
5 mins
agree  Joe L
18 mins
agree  Jack Doughty
37 mins
agree  Trudy Peters: Yes, either two hyphens or none. I prefer the former if it's used as an adjective.
40 mins
agree  Brie Vernier: With Trudy
1 hr
  -> As both Davids say, the 2-hyphen standard is definitely not wrong. The fact that when this expression is used as a predicate adjective (Sergey's example) it takes no hyphens has probably made the no-hyphen variant common/acceptable as a demonstrative adj.
agree  Caryl Swift: With the explanation, but I also agree with both Davids-it should really be hyphenated'all-too-real'. :-) //Yes,the gathering of the hyphens isn't very fortutitous,I agree! :-))
1 hr
  -> See note!
agree  Mark Nathan: although not sure that the asker was concerned with hyphens
2 hrs
neutral  Refugio: In such a string of modifiers, it will be important to keep all three hyphens.
2 hrs
agree  Suzan Hamer
4 hrs
agree  Kari Foster: (Re hyphens): depends on whether or not it's a predicate. 'The situation was all too real." but: "The all-too-real situation was..." In the asker's example, they are needed.
19 hrs
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 34 mins
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
only-too-real


Explanation:
This is a perfect example of why the hyphens should be kept: for clarity.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2006-08-24 20:36:02 GMT)
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meaning that it is real, and one only wishes it were not

Refugio
Local time: 05:33
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 120
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