Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[JENNY DOLL]

No surgeon hovered by the black carriage that had borne Pan and his retainer here a short time ago. Odd that, for Joe
knew Pan to be somewhat fastidious in his habits, a typical aristocratic civilian who fussed over a cut finger, who would flee in horror from the carnage on a battlefield.

Hi.there.

Q1: I don't realize the sentence "Odd that", for I thought the word "odd" is an adjective, how come it is followed by the word "that" ?

Q2: Does habits here means costumes(clothes) or something like that?

God, reading is no picnic.

[bud]

Jenny, if those are the only two questions you have from that passage, then at least your hard work is paying off!

1. I've never seen 'odd that' used in that way. I can't explain the grammar, but what it means is 'That was odd, for Joe...' It's a style that makes the writing interesting to read. (Usually you see/hear 'odd that' in this way: "It was odd that no surgeon hovered by the black carriage that had borne Pan..., for Joe knew Pan to be...")

2. 'Habit' sometimes refers to a costume, but not in this passage. Here it means "one's usual manner." Pan's usual manner was to be somewhat fastidious.

Habit also has other meanings. Here's a great website that looks up a word in dozens of dictionaries. It's interesting to see the differences in explanation:

http://www.onelook.com/

Keep up the good work!

[JENNY DOLL]

Hi,Bub.
Many thanks for your great answers and amasing website and encouragement!

[bud]

Thank you, Jenny.

[advoca]

May I chuck in my two pennorth?

"It was odd that no surgeon hovered by the black carriage that had borne Pan..., for Joe knew Pan to be..."

There is another way of writing that, �No surgeon hovered by the black carriage that had borne Pan..., for Joe knew Pan to be... Odd that.�

It means exactly as Bud put it. The last two words simple mean �It was odd.� or �Isn�t that odd?�