be impossible to understand half of sth; half (of sb’s speech) is barely intelligible ❍ 他对人说话，总是满口之乎者也，教人～的。(《鲁迅选集》上—12) ❶He used so many archaisms in his speech,it was impossible to understand half of what he said. ❷He used so many archaisms in his speech that half of it was barely intelligible.