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they were

English translation: the investments were bad

13:48 Apr 1, 2012
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
English term or phrase: they were
Hello everyone,

NARRATOR
BELOVED TO EVERYONE BUT THE PRESTIS. AFTER A BRIEF FLING WITH CASEY, JOANNE BECAME
PREGNANT WITH ALYSSA, BUT HE SOON LEFT HER AND HIS YOUNG BABY DAUGHTER.

Annette Presti
Alyssa never thought about her father, she didn’t even know what he looked like, never part of her life.

NARRATOR
AND IT SEEMED THAT THE APPARENTLY WELL OFF LOCAL CELEBRITY WASN’T LOOKING AFTER JOANNE AND ALYSSA AT ALL.

Det Mike Pandolph
There was an issue of chid support that was pending in the court, which could have been a possible motive.

NARRATOR
BRENT CASEY COULD HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PAY TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CHILD SUPPORT.

Brent Casey
OK.

NARRATOR
BUT HE’D MADE SOME BAD INVESTMENTS WHICH HAD RUINED HIM FINANCIALLY, SO HE COULDN’T SUPPORT HIS DAUGHTER ALYSSA.

NARRATOR
AND THAT WAS ALL DETECTIVES NEEDED TO KNOW BEFORE THEY BROUGHT HIM IN FOR QUESTIONING.

Brent Casey
Yeah I’m sure **they were**.

Det Mike Pandolph
He was very upset, he was shocked. At that point he appeared to be believable.

Brent Casey
And I…

Is it possible to determine based on the context what "they were" implies? In other words, they were what?

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 13:42
Selected answer:the investments were bad
Explanation:
It doesn't tie together very well, but to me it seems to be the only possibility. Brent seems to be responding to both the narrator's dialogue and the policeman's. The narrator has just commented that he made bad investments. He may be confirming that the investments were bad.
Selected response from:

Martin Riordan
Brazil
Local time: 07:42
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Martin.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +3Indeterminate
DLyons
3 +3the investments were bad
Martin Riordan
3 +1Not clear at all. Perhaps the detectives were sure they had enough evidence to bring him in*
Jenni Lukac (X)


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Indeterminate


Explanation:
I certainly can't tell from the context!

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 11:42
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: I suspect you need to actually watch the film in order to see what it is in response to...
24 mins
  -> Thanks Tony.
agree  Jenni Lukac (X)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Jenni.
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
9 hrs
  -> Thanks gallagy2.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Not clear at all. Perhaps the detectives were sure they had enough evidence to bring him in*


Explanation:
* for questioning. That's all I can make of it. If you can query, I'd advise you to query.

Jenni Lukac (X)
Local time: 12:42
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 15

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DLyons
2 hrs
  -> Thanks. Martin may be right, but I'd query if possible on this one.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
the investments were bad


Explanation:
It doesn't tie together very well, but to me it seems to be the only possibility. Brent seems to be responding to both the narrator's dialogue and the policeman's. The narrator has just commented that he made bad investments. He may be confirming that the investments were bad.

Martin Riordan
Brazil
Local time: 07:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Martin.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Denise Phelps
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Denise!
agree  Nikolett Ama (X): It is an affirmation that the investments were,in fact, bad.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Nikolett!
agree  Veronika McLaren
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Veronika!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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