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Vsuresh Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

any

Hi

Context: The speaker is saying that the person's name is related to the place where his face appears (supernatural).

The remarkable thing is that that gentleman's name should bear any relation to the spot where his features had got formed mysteriously.

Being a non native, I am used to hearing any in negatives and questions.  

Please give your comments. 
  

Top answer

'any' is positive, meaning 'some' (however small that some may be - its complement (opposite) here would be "none" (expressed as 'no relation')) d

— Meteorquake

  • 'any' is positive, meaning 'some' (however small that some may be - its complement (opposite) here would be "none" (expressed as 'no relation')) d
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6 Answers
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'any' is positive, meaning 'some' (however small that some may be - its complement (opposite) here would be "none" (expressed as 'no relation'))

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Thank you, meteorquake.
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vsureshI am used to hearing any in negatives and questions.
I suppose you could say that there is a hidden negative there.

The remarkable thing is that the name bears any relation to ...
It's surprising that the name bears any relation to ...
~

I did not expect the name to bear any relation to ...
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Your explanation is very helpful.
Thank you,CJ.
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One way to remember matters is that "any" is literally "an"y, ie one-like ('an' would be related to 'one').
One is something, but it's also close to nothing.
If you substitute the word 'a'/'an' for 'any' in the sentences above it will bear this out, although remember that one-y (any) isn't the same as one (an).
d
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Thank you,meteorquake.
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