Ever since the dawn of humanity, language has evolved and changed not only at the mouths, but also in their brains and hearts as a way to express themselves as social beings. As humanity became complex, so did its languages. Countless languages bloomed within humanity and newer ones arose from the ashes of previous ones. But even now in this international global village of humanity, the way a language is spoken depends on one primal instinct. In this article we shall learn about the phrase, That sounds good.
“The English language is nobody’s special property. It is the property of imagination” – Derek Walcott.
“That sounds good”
Modern English is a vehicle on the move, it is constantly changing, twisting, and turning itself regardless of the old ways or what the old masters of English will think about what it has become.
The phrase “That sounds good” literally means that something sounds pleasing to the ears. Although technically it should be music or tones, it usually means that an idea or deal is nice and acceptable. It is a phrase but not a sentence. The speaker believes that the idea will work but at the back of his head, they think it is not completely foolproof. Someone who says “that sounds good” is not the person in power or in charge. The speaker is clearly on an equal or lower footing compared to the one who proposed the plan. On the other hand, if it is a negotiator, there is no way to tell if the speaker has an upper hand or not. This time we need to listen to the tone of the speaker’s voice. Here the phrase can be used by any party without risking angering the others since it is only a business relationship. In any case, the speaker wishes to finalize the deal lest the other party/parties gain an upper hand in the meantime. The phrase also changes meaning as per the tone of the speaker.
Meaning of “That sounds good” and its grammar
It is indeed the courtesy of the English language that a small phrase, an incomplete collection of three commonly used words can be judged to have several meanings and purposes. The meaning of “That sounds good” is a product of occasion and the user’s emotions poured into it.
Whether the phrase must be taken in the literal sense of the 3 words it’s made of, or a completely different way is the listener’s discretion and the speaker’s intentions. The phrase in its literal sense means that something seems soothing or interesting or reassuring to the speaker’s ears. But it does not mention what exactly sounds aesthetic to the ears, so it cannot be called a sentence as it does not make complete sense. We presume it is the words of the group or person the speaker was listening to before uttering the phrase. Although the literal meaning suggests music, tone or sounds that are pleasing, it is never used for that purpose on almost all occasions. For example, complimenting a singer with “That sounds good” is technically correct but in modern English, it is bound to seem rude or impolite or that the speaker is not paying attention at all.
“That sounds good” is commonly used instead to express or assure someone or a group that their idea or suggestion is worth a try or has a great probability of success. The speaker believes that the idea will work but at the back of his head they think it is not completely foolproof. The phrase suggests that the idea has a high chance of success but fear exists that the idea might not work or go awry due to reasons unknown until fruition.
For example: General – “6th battalion will charge from the front while 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th attack from 2’o clock, 4’o clock, 8’o clock, and 10’o clock respectively”
Lieutenant – “That sounds good Sir”
The lieutenant feels the plan is sound but then he can never know if can be thwarted by the enemy. Whether through air support, brute force, artillery, or reinforcements remains to be seen on the battlefield. He cannot be sure about it unless he has already led his troops into battle.
The phrase is also used to mean that a negotiation term seems satisfactory to the party and that they agree to it. This time as well the party is not 100% sure. From initial details, the deal looks smooth but there might be a small chance of things going awry
For example: “We will split the profits 70-30”
“That sounds good”
It is evident that the speaker of the phrase is at a disadvantage or is doing the lesser part of the job. They seem satisfied by the deal, but as human greed goes, they cannot help but yearn for more, or they are not sure the costs will not increase on their end
Thoughts of the user while saying “That sounds good”
Clearly, someone who says “that sounds good is not the person in power or in charge. The speaker is clearly on an equal or lower footing compared to the one who proposed the plan. The speaker wishes to be polite and reassuring instead of definitive or dominative, which is a clear suggestion of their position. They cannot or does not wish to assert their idea on anyone. A person in power or in charge is more likely to use words like “(that’s) perfect” or “Not bad (at all)” or “very good” etc. Completely asserts their position as a leader. “That sounds good coming from a leader or authority shows nervousness or the lack of confidence which is unhealthy to their position in every way as well as detrimental to their team. This implies that the user of this phrase is at an equal or subordinate trying to reassure others.
On the other hand, if it is a negotiator, there is no way to tell if the speaker has an upper hand or not. This time we need to listen to the tone of the speaker’s voice. Whether they say it confidently and assuredly or they falter or say it without expression. Here the phrase can be used by any party without risking angering the others since it is only a business relationship. In any case, the speaker wishes to finalize the deal least the other party/parties gain an upper hand in the meantime.
Importance of tone of the speaker
“English is a language in development, have fun with it “– Jonathan Culver
Modern English is a vehicle on the move, it is constantly changing, twisting, and turning itself regardless of the old ways or what the old masters of English will think about what it has become. Newer words have been invented, like “awesome”,” ambigue” or “single-use” etc. While old words like “thou” and “thy” which were common use once have gone obsolete having been replaced by a single word “you”.
But one thing has remained the same, and that is the importance of the way a speaker speaks and the tone they use. The same word with different tones has purely different meanings. For example, “Oh Really!” with exclamation suggests genuine surprise while “Oh…. Really…….” Spoken in a sarcastic tone suggests the speaker is not happy or surprised while “Oh really?” in an interrogative tone suggests disbelief.
Similarly, “That sounds good” said definitely suggests the person is truly satisfied with the idea and wants to start as soon as possible.
“That sounds good!” spoken with exclamation suggests that the person thinks it is a genius idea and have no more questions or that they were not expecting such good terms in deal. For them it is an extremely unexpected or exceedingly sweet idea or deal.
“That……, sounds good” is a sign of submission to the other’s will when said nervously.
“That…… sounds…… good……” said slowly and will pauses suggests the user is not at ease but has no other option
Uses of the phrase and examples
“That sounds good is not a very common phrase in English but not uncommon either in the English-speaking world. It is a common phrase among those used to show assurance in present times. In the Victorian era, the phrase might have been considered rude but in modern English is considered polite. Once the phrase has been spoken it usually signals the end of planning or negotiations.
Some examples include:
Speaker 1 – “The left flank will push forward and break their formation, then the right flank joins the fray and finished them off”
Speaker 2 – “That sounds good to me. We will start at 1200 hrs. sharp, be sure to be at the rendezvous by 1400 hrs.
Speaker 1 – “I will meet you after school. We can continue then”
Speaker 2 – “Let me think, yes that sounds good”
Speaker 1 – “We do the coding, you do the debugging, how is that?”
Speaker 2 – “Yeah sure, that sounds pretty good”
Speaker 1 – “So, that is my idea”
Speaker 2 – “Sounds good, but are you sure you can pull it off?”
In the first example, the second speaker asserts his confidence and the readiness of his troops and is ready to go ahead with the plan.
In the second one, the second speaker agrees only after he checks his timetable and is eager to finish it.
In the third one, the second speaker the user may or may not be happy with idea but agrees nevertheless with no other options.
In the fourth one, the user is nervous about the plan and concerned. He thinks the idea is risky, but he cannot do anything about it either.
Also, the phrase has some variations, like “sounds pretty good”, “sounds cool”, “sounds great”, “seems great” etc. The meaning remains the same overall as “That sounds good”.
Also, it is common for the speaker to omit “that” to shorten the phrase further. It is understood it refers to the most recent idea.
Misunderstood meanings of “That sounds good”
People often confuse the meanings of several phrases, probably because English is a funny and weird language. Therefore, in the same way, the phrase “That Sounds Good” is also as often misinterpreted to be something else.
Some of us think that this phrase is used for appreciating purposes. Or you might see someone using it in a very bland, sarcastic manner. But it doesn’t work that way.
At other times, someone might want to say the catchy phrase “That Sounds Good” just for the sake of using it and to sound very knowledgeable and give the impression of having a very enriched vocabulary, not knowing that they are creating the exact opposite impression in the process.
English phrases need to be handled very carefully. As we all know, it is also called the “Language of the Sophisticated” and thus, it is really important to know how things work and how we should speak.
Significance of pronunciation and stress
English is a language with a stress-timed rhythm. As such there is a great significance in the ways every syllable is spoken. “That sounds good” has 4 syllables
- “That”
- “sou”
- “nds”
- “good”
The way a speaker places stress on the syllable also has a meaning.
- A person who blurts out all 4 syllables in one go is supposedly excited.
- A person laying stress on “That” as in “THAT sounds good” was not expecting the idea or the deal at all and is visibly flushed
- A person laying stress on “That” as well as “Good” as in “THAT sounds GOOD” was not expecting the idea or the deal and now is extremely excited to go along
- A person laying stress on “sounds” as in “that SOUNDS good” or is skeptical about the plan but is ready or has no option nevertheless.
- A person laying stress on “good” as in “that sounds GOOD” is nervous
Alternatives of “That Sounds Good”
Phrases that can be used in place of That Sounds Good:
- Sounds like a plan
- I’ll be looking forward to it
- Sure thing!
- I’m on board
- Yes, please
- Sounds perfect
- Sounds great
- Absolutely
- Definitely
- Works for me
- Okay, cool
- I agree with that
- It’s worth a try
Commonly Asked Questions
- Can we use “Okay cool” in place of “that sounds good?”
Yes, you can. But it is preferable if you refrain from using it in formal situations. “Okay cool” is a very informal statement. But if you’re using it with friends, then sure, why not?
- In what situations can we use “That Sounds good”?
We usually use this phrase nowadays when accepting or agreeing to a proposal or a plan suggested by someone else.
We are trying to express that whatever they are saying is a pretty good idea and is really easy to agree with.
- What does it mean when someone says “That Sounds good” to me?
When someone says “that sounds good” to you, it means that the speaker is definitely satisfied with what you just suggested and is eager to start with it.
- Can you give two or three examples of lines that can be used in place of the phrase That Sounds good?
- I agree with it
- Sounds like a plan
- Of course
- I think that’s a great idea
