No fewer than
"Today, no fewer than 30 companies are making use of the jackfruit pulp alone."
(The Guardian.)
In what way does the subject "no fewer than 30 companies" (a phrase of comparison) express an inequality in the sentence above?
--------------
I understand that "fewer [companies] than 30 companies" explicitly express inequality, but the determiner "no" in "no fewer than 30 companies" 'neutralises' that comparative phrase rendering it somewhat ineffective.
Top answer
I see no problems here: more than 30 companies = 31 or more no more than 30 companies = 30 or fewer fewer than 30 companies = 29 or fewer no fewer that 30 companies = 30 or more as many as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two fewer (this appears to be a high number) as few as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two more (this appears to be a low number
- I see no problems here: more than 30 companies = 31 or more no more than 30 companies = 30 or fewer fewer than 30 companies = 29 or fewer no fewer that 30 companies = 30 or more as many as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two fewer (this appears to be a high number) as few as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two more (this appears to be a low number
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
I see no problems here:
more than 30 companies = 31 or more
no more than 30 companies = 30 or fewer
fewer than 30 companies = 29 or fewer
no fewer that 30 companies = 30 or more
as many as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two fewer (this appears to be a high number)
as few as 30 companies = 30 or perhaps one or two more (this appears to
0tkacka15but the determiner "no" in "no fewer than 30 companies" 'neutralises' that comparative phrase rendering it somewhat ineffective.
"Fewer than 30" entails less than 30, while "no fewer than 30" entails exactly 30.
0
Related Questions