"There's no telling" - usage

[Blind_Justice]

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."

Is this correct?

 

[NotWise]

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."

Is this correct?

I understand it, so I suppose the usage is right. I'd write it

"There's not telling what kind of hell hole we're dropping into."

 

[Hypoxia]

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."

Is this correct?

The phrasing depends on what type of person is speaking. I see three approaches, three tones:

"There's no telling what kind of hell hole we're dropping into."
This is said by the ordinary gal or guy, a civilian.

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."
Said by the over-educated pedant intent of grammar.

"What kind of hell hole we're dropping into, there's no telling."
The logician first thinks of prospect, then of consequence.

The first could be stretched a bit:

"There's no telling [gasp!] what kind of hell hole [gasp!] we're dropping into [wheeze!]"
The civilian has been running or frightened.

That's my take. YMMV.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Context: A psionic, military background, tries to caution the rest of his team moments before they jump out of a doomed space ship. I had a redundant set of "We don't know anything about the planet below", he cautioned. "We don't know what kind of hell hole we're dropping into" and I wanted to mix it up.

Good to know I got the gist of it right though. The rest can be fixed in post. Thanks, guys (and possible gals)

 

[SimonDoom]

Agree with Hypoxia. If this is a bit of dialog, it will sound more natural if it ends with "into." That's the right choice.

 

[ThatsTheGuy]

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."

Is this correct?

In a word. "Yes". There are many variations such a saying applies to. All do indeed apply.

 

[NoJo]

I see nobody's posted the Yoda version yet

 

[Voboy]

If I’m about to evacuate a doomed spacecraft, grammar is the least of my concerns.

“Get the fuck out.”
“But, sir! We could be dropping into some kind of hellhole!”
“Fine. Stay and die. The rest of you: get the fuck out.”

 

[ThatsTheGuy]

If I’m about to evacuate a doomed spacecraft, grammar is the least of my concerns.

“Get the fuck out.”
“But, sir! We could be dropping into some kind of hellhole!”
“Fine. Stay and die. The rest of you: get the fuck out.”

Right. No time for chitchat when it comes to emergency self-preservation.

People today simply DON'T get that. Now will they ever until they've been in a similar sink or swim situation.

My personal interpretation would be: "F**k this shit!" or "Jump, stick your head between your legs, and kiss your arse goodbye!"

Maybe I'll grab someone on the way out the door.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The phrasing depends on what type of person is speaking. I see three approaches, three tones:

"There's no telling what kind of hell hole we're dropping into."
This is said by the ordinary gal or guy, a civilian.

"There's no telling into what kind of hell hole we're dropping."
Said by the over-educated pedant intent of grammar.

"What kind of hell hole we're dropping into, there's no telling."
The logician first thinks of prospect, then of consequence.

"There's no telling what kind of hell-hole waits for us down there."

Said by the author who thinks option #2 above sounds awkward but doesn't want to piss off the pedant. Sometimes it's less trouble just to go around the issue.

 

[SimonDoom]

I see nobody's posted the Yoda version yet

A hell hole we are dropping into. What kind there is no telling.

But seriously, if you want to spoil the mood in an erotic story, bring Yoda into it. A dick shriveler for sure.

 

[Voboy]

Right. No time for chitchat when it comes to emergency self-preservation.

People today simply DON'T get that. Now will they ever until they've been in a similar sink or swim situation.

My personal interpretation would be: "F**k this shit!" or "Jump, stick your head between your legs, and kiss your arse goodbye!"

Maybe I'll grab someone on the way out the door.

Word up.

When it’s time to un-ass the AO, you un-ass the AO.

 

[JasonClearwater]

A hell hole we are dropping into. What kind there is no telling.

But seriously, if you want to spoil the mood in an erotic story, bring Yoda into it. A dick shriveler for sure.

Without even Googling, I will bet you ninety-three million dollars and fifteen cents that there are entire fan sites dedicated to Yoda erotica, where the kink is OSV.*



*I just learned this term, and am now going to refuse to explain the acronym, and pretend as if I've always known how a sentence is constructed.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Without even Googling, I will bet you ninety-three million dollars and fifteen cents that there are entire fan sites dedicated to Yoda erotica, where the kink is OSV.*

*I just learned this term, and am now going to refuse to explain the acronym, and pretend as if I've always known how a sentence is constructed.

OSV = Oldtimer Segelflug Vereinigung Schweiz (Swiss Vintage Glider Association)

Well, there's something I would never have guessed. This place is great - like Chloe and Kant's corsets, you learn something new every day...

 

[SimonDoom]

Without even Googling, I will bet you ninety-three million dollars and fifteen cents that there are entire fan sites dedicated to Yoda erotica, where the kink is OSV.*



*I just learned this term, and am now going to refuse to explain the acronym, and pretend as if I've always known how a sentence is constructed.

I'm not taking that bet. I have no doubt whatsoever that you're right.

I looked for "OSV" but couldn't find it, so I'm still in the dark about that.

 

[JasonClearwater]

I'm not taking that bet. I have no doubt whatsoever that you're right.

I looked for "OSV" but couldn't find it, so I'm still in the dark about that.

Object-Subject-Verb.

Apparently, in English, we mostly write Subject-Verb-Object.

And if you're anything like me, you've already forgotten that, even though you just read it one line above.