Learn English – Usage of the word “submittal”

Saying "See you on the field" is fine, because your friend knows you aren't a member of the team and therefore won't actually be ON the field. But when you tell someone you'll "See them there," it's usually understood that you're going to be "there" yourself.

In that context, I'd argue that saying "See you there" is very misleading, and your words could conceivably create confusion or make someone a little angry. But if the person you're talking to KNOWS you won't literally be there, then there's no problem.

Nigh (archaic) means ‘near’.

As in ‘when winter is nigh’, nearly winter. Or ‘Evening is nigh’ - almost evening.

It still shows up in idioms like ‘nigh on impossible’ as you mention.

But that’s not what I dislike about it, for an academic report or serious piece of writing.

What I dislike about it, is that it’s rather woolly.

‘Almost impossible’

What’s that? Surely if something is ‘impossible’ it means it can’t be done. Adding ‘nigh on’ or ‘almost’ to ‘impossible’ - takes something immutable that definitely can’t be done - an imposing mountain that can never be climbed and adds a woolly little cloud to it that says ‘oooh - maybe!’

Although it is, really, correct in English it just sounds a bit - unscientific.

Instead, how about

• Extraordinarily difficult
• Highly unlikely to succeed
• Phenomenally treacherous
• Outside of predictions
• A fools errand
• A Herculean task
• Monstrously complicated
• Like an ant trying to scale Everest - highly unlikely

In other words, I would explore other more creative ways of painting a picture of the difficulty of the task without resorting to this idiom.