"this never-has-been"

What is meant by that phrase?????????????????????

I'm guessing here since I've never heard of that term, but it seems to be a play on the phrase "has-been". A has-been is someone who used to be famous but isn't anymore. A "never-has-been" would presumably be a person who has never been famous.

It probably just means it's never been true before or something like that. Like if your talking about how there's a new rule at some place you go frequently, and someone says it never has been, they probably just mean the rule has never been around before.

It's american Engilsh and should be "has never been"

"Guest" is correct, it's an extension of "has-been". A "never-has-been" might be somebody who has an inflated opinion of how famous or successful they are. It's even worse than being a has-been, because at least has-beens really were successful at some time in the past.

I would agree with Confucius and guest. If calling someone who used to be a celebrity a "has-been" is an insult, then calling someone a "never-has-been" is even worse.

And Hans, you are incorrect; there are plenty of instances where an American would say "never has been", just as there are plenty of times when other nationalities would say "has never been". Those are both common phrases in any dialect; they have no nationality attached to them.