navi tasan
Key Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2002
- Member Type
- Academic
- Native Language
- Persian
- Home Country
- Iran
- Current Location
- United States
1) Tom's relatives went to the bar yesterday to ask questions about the fight he was involved in.
Does that mean all his relatives went to the bar, or could it have been only a few?
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2) Harry's cousins are getting married.
Does that mean all his cousins are getting married?
I think technically the sentence have the 'all' meaning, but in practice they don't necessarily mean that at all.
When we say
3) Harry's cousin is getting married.
that doesn't mean that he has only one cousin and we are not necessarily talking about a cousin who is know to the listener.
Gratefully,
Navi
Does that mean all his relatives went to the bar, or could it have been only a few?
----------------------------
2) Harry's cousins are getting married.
Does that mean all his cousins are getting married?
I think technically the sentence have the 'all' meaning, but in practice they don't necessarily mean that at all.
When we say
3) Harry's cousin is getting married.
that doesn't mean that he has only one cousin and we are not necessarily talking about a cousin who is know to the listener.
Gratefully,
Navi