Just Now!!

[itchy123]

Now i'm from South Africa and we use the term "Just now" to mean....in a while when i have finished what i am doing....no set time really. Now in the UK...i said this to my boss and she gave me stick for not doing it straight away. Aparrently i should've said "now now"(never heard of this before)???

Whats the correct way to say..."not this second, but i will do it when i am finished with what i am currently doing" Just now or Now now???

[jno]

I've never heard of now now either... Just say what you've said: 'As soon as I'm finished with this...' (which gives her the opportunity to say 'No, drop that job, this new one is more important').

[heathfield]

I'd have said "shortly"

(I'm reminded of the Welshman who calls upstairs to his wife, "Are you ready to go out?" His wife calls back, "Yes dear, I'm coming down now, after!")

[naz_nomad]

The Welsh use this saying too

[Narolines]

"Just now" in British usage usually means "a short while ago". I agree with heathfield - "shortly", or "as soon as I can".

[Narolines]

Sorry - should have added, I've never heard of "now now" in this context, and I taught English for 26 years. The only context I've ever been aware of for "now now" is to try to help someone get over an upsetting experience or to comfort them - such as stopping a child crying, for instance.

[WoWo]

I used to work with a South African (a few in fact but one in particular) and he used this turn of phrase alot.

Just now means I have just done it but can also mean I'm literally doing it at the moment.

Often he said it and the impression was he was doing it when in fact he meant he would get it done in the near future.

The normal way it would be said in the UK would be "I'll do it in a minute"

[joko]

could have come from 'just' to mean 'almost', so 'almost now' or 'nearly now' means 'not quite now but soon'.

if that makes sense...?

i have heard it said in scotland to mean the present, and english to mean a moment ago

[Grunty]

I have always understood 'just now' to mean recently. I have come across a regional variation where 'just now' means soon and 'now just' means recently.

[gary baldy]

What about 'in a bit'?
As in "Can i do it in a bit when ive finished this?"