Je n'en attendais pas moins de vous, merci.

Question

Could someone please explain/point out the grammatical structure behind this sentence? 
Why is the preposition "en" here? Also, why are we using a tonic pronoun "vous" here instead of placing it in front of the verb conjugated as an indirect object pronoun? Thanks

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Blaise,
In the idiomatic expression - n'en attendre pas moins de quelqu'un - the stress/emphatic pronoun is placed after the preposition 'de'.

Je n'en attendais pas moins de toi = I didn't expect anything less from you
On n'en attendait pas moins d'eux = We didn't expect anything less from them
Vous n'en attendiez pas moins d'elles = You didn't expect anything else from them

etc.
Hope this helps!

Jim Jones · Answer

Bonjour Blaise,The "en" relates to "than that", in reference to the compensation package offered.The "vous" here is neither a direct nor an indirect object pronoun; it is "stressed" following the preposition "from"."I expected no less (than that) from you, thank you."I hope that this helps you.Bonne journéeJim