"Half" as a Briticism

[Ouisch]

I was re-watching "Yellow Submarine", and I noticed the odd use of "half" a couple of times - for example, "You haven't half got a big mouth, have you?"  What is the meaning of "half" or why is it used in this manner?

[Hgrove]

For emphasis I think.  Someone I knew used to say "she don't half talk" about someone else who was very talkative.

[Hippy]

Whilst thinking about this I was reminded of a trend, presumably drifting from America, for saying "Sploggins is the two time champion nurdle knocker" when for simply ages we have all said, "Sploggins is the twice  champion nurdle knocker"

 

"Twice" means something  happened on two occasions, "two time" means to cheat on a regular partner or spose.

.

[Hippy]

Oops, I meant "spouse".

[Quizmonster]

If someone says you 'haven't half' got something or other, the suggestion is that you 'have totally' got whatever it is.

She's not half attractive means she's totally - ie very,very - attractive...He's not half clever means he's totally - ie very, very - clever...It's not half cold means it's totally - ie very, very - cold...and so on.

[jocook17]

As native Liverpudlian, I can tell you that we say it just as we say 'like', or similar. It doesn't really mean anything in itself, it just sort of comes out - it merely adds emphasis to the comment. But I would agree it goes well with the 'doesn't do things by halves' phrase meaning more than expected

[NuclearFace]

It's similar in context to saying that something is "not done by half measures", i.e. it is done to a great extent.

This use of the word also appears in the title of a British sitcom from about 1970, called "It ain't half hot, Mum", set in India - i.e. the weather tended to be very hot.