J'avais bien entendu parler de ce nouveau poste - another question

Question

I was also thrown by this sentence because at first sight it contains the phrase "bien entendu".  I guess the "bien" is qualifying  "j’ai entendu parler", but does it mean something more than just "J'avais entendu parler de ce nouveau poste" ?

Accepted Answer

Hi Anne,
 
"J'avais bien entendu parler de" means "I had indeed heard of" or "I'd certainly heard about."
The addition of "bien" adds emphasis and confirmation to the statement.
The "bien" in this context intensifies the statement, making it slightly stronger and more affirmative.
It can also sometimes be used to politely acknowledge that you know something someone else is mentioning or explaining to you.

Answer

Bonjour Anne,I understand bien to simply modify entendu in the sense of all about rather than just about.So I'm inclined to agree with your suggestion of qualifying the expression.Bonne journéeJim