C1 · Unit 10
Admirative: an unexpected discovery
Distinguish surprise from retelling and match your tone to the relationship.
New words
admirative meaning
unexpected discovery
immediate reaction
pleasant surprise
ironic shade
apparent admiration
revise my expectations
expression of disbelief
departure from expectations
reaction to what one sees
someone else's assessment
change of tone
exclamatory intonation
personal impression
unsuspected ability
unexpected turn
exclamation
exclaim
exclaim
Was this your work?
Maria, sound director
Чуй края на записа. Там вече няма шум. Изненадан ли си?
Listen to the end of the recording. The noise is gone. Are you surprised?
Ти си била майстор! Не знаех, че се занимаваш със звук.
So you are an expert! I had no idea you worked with sound.
Maria, sound director
Майстор? Работя това от десет години.
An expert? I have done this professionally for ten years.
Maria, sound director
Май комплиментът ти прозвуча като изпит.
Your compliment sounded rather like an exam.
Права си. Изненада ме резултатът, не способностите ти.
You are right. The result surprised me, not your ability.
Maria, sound director
Това вече звучи добре. А слушалките са под масата.
That sounds better. The headphones are under the table.
Maria, sound director
Я, и втората двойка е тук. Бях я отписала.
Oh, the second pair is here too. I had given up on it.
Значи откриваш нещо, което не си очаквала.
So you are discovering something you did not expect.
Maria, sound director
Да. Не цитирам съседката, гледам под масата.
Yes. I am looking under the table, not quoting the neighbour.
Maria, sound director
Е, сега да прослушаме и началото.
Well, now let us listen to the beginning too.
Grammar
"Ти си бил…!" can express an unexpected discovery now. The form need not refer to the past. Context and intonation distinguish surprise from reporting. A compliment may sound patronising; notice how the other person receives it.
Ти си бил звуков режисьор! Защо не каза по-рано?
So you're a sound director! Why didn't you say so earlier?
По радиото казаха, че изложбата била готова.
They said on the radio that the exhibition was ready.
Examples
Тя била тук! А аз я търся по телефона.
She's here! And I've been trying to reach her by phone.
Че това било оригиналът, а не копие!
So this is the original, not a copy!
Ти си бил умен! Намерил си входа без карта.
Well, aren't you clever! You found the entrance without a map.
Я, каква хубава акустика имало тук!
Oh, what lovely acoustics there are here!
Не знаех, че можеш да възстановяваш стари записи.
I didn't know you could restore old recordings.
Същата реплика може да звучи и като закачка.
The same line can also sound like teasing.
Не всяко «бил» изразява изненада.
Not every "бил"
expresses surprise.
Възклицанието показва реакцията ми, а не датата на откритието.
The exclamation shows my reaction, not the date of the discovery.