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Taka Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
numbers
English is a language of ascendancy which is measured by numbers of speakers in various activities.
About the 'numbers (of)' in red, does it mean 'the data of how many people'? Or does it just ambiguously mean 'many'?
About the 'numbers (of)' in red, does it mean 'the data of how many people'? Or does it just ambiguously mean 'many'?
Top answer
e. the number of speakers in Activity A, the number of speakers in Activity B, the number of speakers in Activity C, etc.
- e.
- the number of speakers in Activity A, the number of speakers in Activity B, the number of speakers in Activity C, etc.
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5 Answers
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Hi Taka
I'd say it means 'the data of how many people' -- i.e. the number of speakers in Activity A, the number of speakers in Activity B, the number of speakers in Activity C, etc.
I'd say it means 'the data of how many people' -- i.e. the number of speakers in Activity A, the number of speakers in Activity B, the number of speakers in Activity C, etc.
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Just as I thought! Thank you for the clear explanation, as always, Amy! I like your logical way of thinking. Could I count on it again?
How come you native speakers perceive 'numbers of' in some other contexts as 'many' as well? How can it make sense that way? What kind of logic do you think there is behind?
How come you native speakers perceive 'numbers of' in some other contexts as 'many' as well? How can it make sense that way? What kind of logic do you think there is behind?
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Hi Taka
It seems to me that we use numbers to mean many (i.e. a lot of) mainly when we say things such as "large numbers of".
Do you have some specific sentences in mind?
It seems to me that we use numbers to mean many (i.e. a lot of) mainly when we say things such as "large numbers of".
Do you have some specific sentences in mind?
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YankeeHi TakaOne of my dictionaries have these as the examples:
Do you have some specific sentences in mind?
·There're numbers of people who believe it.
·He made numbers of experiments.
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Hi Taka
Both of those sentences sound a little odd to me. I'd also tend to interpret the word 'numbers' simply as 'some' in those sentences. It almost sounds as if the writer was fence-sitting and couldn't quite decide whether it was a large or a small number of people/experiments.
Maybe someone else will find such a usage more natural, though.
Both of those sentences sound a little odd to me. I'd also tend to interpret the word 'numbers' simply as 'some' in those sentences. It almost sounds as if the writer was fence-sitting and couldn't quite decide whether it was a large or a small number of people/experiments.
Maybe someone else will find such a usage more natural, though.
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