Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Sheer curiosity

I'm just curious to know how many people, native English or not,
 are able to understand the meaning of the following sentence out
 of context.
 
"You could be on to something here"
 
Thanks.
 
 
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My guess is 864,990,203. But, I'm not sure how we can verify it.
 

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Here is where I read that sentence:
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/english-at-work/42-language-writing-a-proposal
 
 
The page search functions of your web browser may help.
 
Thank you.

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I was trying to give you an idea, perhaps too colorfully and certainly 
tongue-in-cheek, of the widespread knowledge of that phrase.
 
So, let me return to the literal if you find that more helpful. I can't 
speak for non-native English speakers. I can only speak for 329,080,083 
mostly native-speaking Americans (sorry, I couldn't resist).
 
The vast majority would understand the phrase without context, although 
some might expect to hear "there" instead of "here."
 
"To be on to (something)" is a well-entrenched English idiom. Collins 
English/Italian dictionary translates it as "essere sulla pista giusta."
 
"He's on to something" = he has demonstrated an idea or practice that 
may (at some time in the near future) be of value or usefulness.
 
"He's on to me" = He now knows about some intention or practice of mine 
that I wanted to deep hidden or secret.
 
I expect that, because it is an informal idiom, the percentage of 
non-native speakers who know the meaning of the phrase would be smaller 
than that of native speakers. It is probably seldom taught, but rather 
assimilated during exposure to native-speaking or immersion experiences.
 

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Haha. 
 
864,990,203 + 2 now.
 
 
 

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Seems perfectly normal to me. Perhaps some very young children might not 
have heard it before.

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Actually, today it doesn't sound to me so (or as) unusual as yesterday. 
I had some difficulties finding a definition for "be on to something" or 
"be on to" on Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus. This is why I 
wasn't on to something (is it ok? :-)
 
Thanks.

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In this context, the use of the idiom is a stretch, although you could 
say "This is why I wasn't on to it."
 
Still, it sounds a little awkward, like how some non-native Italian 
speakers use "magari."
 
There are really two common but different applications of the idiom.
 
1. "To be on to something" which is used in the context of discovering 
an emergent idea or practice.
 
(In the context of your post, because you have learned an existing 
phrase and not a newly formed idea or emerging practice, the idiom 
doesn't fit well.)
 
2. "To be on to (you, him, her, or 'someone') which means to realize 
something hidden or secret about a person's intentions or actions.
 
(Notice that I don't mention a third "To be on to it," because it isn't 
very common. Also note that the colloquial phrase, "to be on it," has a 
different meaning, such as in this example; (the boss) "We need to find 
some new clients!" (the employee) "I'm on it!" Meaning, the employee 
will take action to find new clients.)
 
By the way, you left no clue in your initial query about the phrase that 
you didn't understand the meaning. But, I'm on to you now. (Which 
implies that I've come to the conclusion that you are in the habit of 
asking a question about a phrase without revealing that you don't know 
the meaning. This is not a real observation about you, just an example 
of how the idiom can be used.)

 of how the idiom can be used.)
 
In italiano sarebbe qualcosa del tipo "Ti ho capito", "Ho capito il tuo
gioco".
 
Kind regards.

   .
 
 
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