Question for the native UK (or other) English speakers ...

[Tender Branson]

I was watching the "Weakest Link" recently on BBC and I noticed something in one of the answers that I found strange:

The host, Anne Robinson, asked a question like this: "In math, what is 63 minus 36 ?"

The person then said: "26"

Then, Anne Robinson said: "No, even 27."

What does "even" mean here ?

Does it mean "almost" ?

And if yes, why is she saying "even" instead of "almost", when "even" usually means "straight" or "flat" and has nothing to do with "almost" ?

[dead0man]

I have no idea...perhaps she was trying to say it's not an even number?

[muon2]

Used in that context with a number even would mean that it is exactly that number with no decimal extension. For example if I am selling you fast food I might tell you that the meal comes to an even nine dollars, when what I mean is that it is nine dollars and no cents. It can also mean a number that is exactly the same as if it is rounded as in an even 1000 people. The use of even is strange in the OP since the difference in two integers must always be an integer and it's not one significant digit number like 30.

[Supersonic]

No clue why she said that. Strange.

[Sol]

No clue why she said that. Strange.

Same.

Even does mean numbers that are multiples of two, but 27 certainly isn't one.

[Tender Branson]

I found one example on YouTube, just with a regular question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb57qOud1pA#t=04m20s

But she uses the same "even" in math questions ...

[Franzl]

Soll heißen: genau 27

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

I guess it means it's a round number, not 27.4 or 26.8 or anything.

[Smid]

I've heard it used and use it in conversation, occasionally.

It's an acknowledgement of a mistake (usually an obvious mistake). A correction. Think correcting an autocorrect fail, like some people use *. That's how I (and some others I know) use it - in this context, not as the mathematical concept of odd vs even.

Edit: I found a couple of examples in my text messages. One time, I was telling someone how far off I was from meeting up with them and said that I had just passed "Swanson" Street (in Melbourne). This was a typo, and I immediately corrected, as soon as I saw it, with "Swanston, even". In this sense, it could also be used as a synonym of "rather" or "actually". Another time I commented on "slightly weather", which I corrected in my next text as "slightly warmer weather, even"

[Leftbehind]

Yeah, I use it in the context that Smid outlined. Robinson was just saying it to fit with her snooty persona - whereby rather than it being said in the usual manner - to correct themselves and/or admit a mistake - she was doing that for them in a subtle but clear attempt to humiliate the person making the error (as is her way on that programme).

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I found one example on YouTube, just with a regular question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb57qOud1pA#t=04m20s

But she uses the same "even" in math questions ...

They ad a question about one of my favorite cartoons, Hong Kong Phooey!  Altho since it was the UK version of the show, I guess it is one of my favourite cartoons.

[Associate Justice PiT]

I've heard it used and use it in conversation, occasionally.

It's an acknowledgement of a mistake (usually an obvious mistake). A correction. Think correcting an autocorrect fail, like some people use *. That's how I (and some others I know) use it - in this context, not as the mathematical concept of odd vs even.

Edit: I found a couple of examples in my text messages. One time, I was telling someone how far off I was from meeting up with them and said that I had just passed "Swanson" Street (in Melbourne). This was a typo, and I immediately corrected, as soon as I saw it, with "Swanston, even". In this sense, it could also be used as a synonym of "rather" or "actually". Another time I commented on "slightly weather", which I corrected in my next text as "slightly warmer weather, even"

     Interesting, I've never heard of that usage. I guess it's not American English.

[Smid]

I think the development of its use in this manner may have been from use of the word for emphasis (as in, "I was so busy today,  I didn't even stop for lunch") and then adapted to emphasise the correction, but that's just speculation on my part.

[dead0man]

I've heard it used and use it in conversation, occasionally.

It's an acknowledgement of a mistake (usually an obvious mistake). A correction. Think correcting an autocorrect fail, like some people use *. That's how I (and some others I know) use it - in this context, not as the mathematical concept of odd vs even.

Edit: I found a couple of examples in my text messages. One time, I was telling someone how far off I was from meeting up with them and said that I had just passed "Swanson" Street (in Melbourne). This was a typo, and I immediately corrected, as soon as I saw it, with "Swanston, even". In this sense, it could also be used as a synonym of "rather" or "actually". Another time I commented on "slightly weather", which I corrected in my next text as "slightly warmer weather, even"

     Interesting, I've never heard of that usage. I guess it's not American English.

Snagglepuss used it that way (sort of*).
cite


*wiki describes it this way

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...but I'm not 100% sure what all that means.

[Associate Justice PiT]

I've heard it used and use it in conversation, occasionally.

It's an acknowledgement of a mistake (usually an obvious mistake). A correction. Think correcting an autocorrect fail, like some people use *. That's how I (and some others I know) use it - in this context, not as the mathematical concept of odd vs even.

Edit: I found a couple of examples in my text messages. One time, I was telling someone how far off I was from meeting up with them and said that I had just passed "Swanson" Street (in Melbourne). This was a typo, and I immediately corrected, as soon as I saw it, with "Swanston, even". In this sense, it could also be used as a synonym of "rather" or "actually". Another time I commented on "slightly weather", which I corrected in my next text as "slightly warmer weather, even"

     Interesting, I've never heard of that usage. I guess it's not American English.

Snagglepuss used it that way (sort of*).
cite


*wiki describes it this way

You must be logged in to read this quote.

...but I'm not 100% sure what all that means.

     It is something like "Hitler invaded Poland." "Hitler invaded Russia, even." That is, it implies that the person is correct, but too conservative in their estimation. I am familiar with that usage, but I don't hear people using that form to indicate the incorrectness of a statement.

[Platypus]

As Smid said, this is quite common:

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What's more unusual is that she said 'math' instead of 'maths'

[Smid]

As Smid said, this is quite common:

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What's more unusual is that she said 'math' instead of 'maths'

96-07, even.

[Platypus]

[Torie]

I write on checks say "Nine even," rather than "Nine ----- 00/100."  Never seen the word "even" before an integer reference however.