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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage
Proper use of the word ANYTHING.
Good morning/afternoon.
I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word EVERYTHING.
He has put up a placard in our office saying "Wash and dry anything you use." I pointed out to him that the word anything in that case would mean that I need only wash one item of whatever it was that I am using. I told him it should be "Wash and dry everything you use."
He is insisting that "anything" here is the proper term to describe all items that were in use.
Any help I could get to prove otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,
Scott
I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word EVERYTHING.
He has put up a placard in our office saying "Wash and dry anything you use." I pointed out to him that the word anything in that case would mean that I need only wash one item of whatever it was that I am using. I told him it should be "Wash and dry everything you use."
He is insisting that "anything" here is the proper term to describe all items that were in use.
Any help I could get to prove otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,
Scott
Top answer
(Email Removed) infrared: [nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... [/nq] Apparently the gentleman in question is a native speaker of English.
- (Email Removed) infrared: [nq:1]Good morning/afternoon.
- I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ...
- [/nq] Apparently the gentleman in question is a native speaker of English.
- His wording might not sound logical to you, but that's the way we say it.
- If you want people to wash only one item, you need "Wash and dry something you use".
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25 Answers
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(Email Removed) infrared:
[nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... you use." He is insisting that "anything" here is the proper term to describe all items that were in use.[/nq]
Apparently the gentleman in question is a native speaker of English. His wording might not sound logical to you, but that's
[nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... you use." He is insisting that "anything" here is the proper term to describe all items that were in use.[/nq]
Apparently the gentleman in question is a native speaker of English. His wording might not sound logical to you, but that's
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[nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... term to describe all items that were in use. Any help I could get to prove otherwise would be appreciated.[/nq]
His: Wash and dry anything you use.
Yours: Wash and dry everything you use.
Sorry, but I must be tired and not thinking straight. I
His: Wash and dry anything you use.
Yours: Wash and dry everything you use.
Sorry, but I must be tired and not thinking straight. I
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[nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... all items that were in use. Any help I could get to prove otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,[/nq]
He is right. Your "correction" is unnecessary.
Alan Jones
He is right. Your "correction" is unnecessary.
Alan Jones
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[nq:1]I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word EVERYTHING. He ... you use." He is insisting that "anything" here is the proper term to describe all items that were in use.[/nq]
In my dialect, anyway, those are both grammatical sentences, and the desired behavior on the part of the reader is the same for both, but the emphasis, and thus th
In my dialect, anyway, those are both grammatical sentences, and the desired behavior on the part of the reader is the same for both, but the emphasis, and thus th
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Ah, well perhaps I should explain my reasoning then (and for the earlier poster, this placard is above the kitchen, so they are talking about pots, pans, etc...)
I do understand that what is being asked is that everyone should clean up after themselves. The discussion was simply having a bit of fun, as I was saying that since the sign said "Wash and dry ANYTHING you use", I could fulfil the ru
I do understand that what is being asked is that everyone should clean up after themselves. The discussion was simply having a bit of fun, as I was saying that since the sign said "Wash and dry ANYTHING you use", I could fulfil the ru
00
[nq:1]Ah, well perhaps I should explain my reasoning then (and for the earlier poster, this placard is above the kitchen, ... sandwich, whereas if they had said "Get me everything" would mean that they were more than likely very fat. =)[/nq]
Nope. I might say "I'm going to get a sandwich, a soda and a slice of cherry pie. What do you want?" The reply "Get me anything" would not mean "get me an
Nope. I might say "I'm going to get a sandwich, a soda and a slice of cherry pie. What do you want?" The reply "Get me anything" would not mean "get me an
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I understand that anything does not mean "any one thing", but it certainly does NOT mean "everything."
And are you trying to tell me that "Wash and dry anything you use" cannot be fulfiled by simply doing it to one item?
All I'm trying to show is that in the above sentence, washing and drying any ONE item I use fulfils the requirement. Not the intention, but the directive itself. That
And are you trying to tell me that "Wash and dry anything you use" cannot be fulfiled by simply doing it to one item?
All I'm trying to show is that in the above sentence, washing and drying any ONE item I use fulfils the requirement. Not the intention, but the directive itself. That
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[nq:1]Good morning/afternoon. I have a gentlemen at work who has mistakenly decided to confuse the word ANYTHING with the word ... all items that were in use. Any help I could get to prove otherwise would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,[/nq]
Wash and dry whatever you use.
john
Wash and dry whatever you use.
john
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[nq:1]And are you trying to tell me that "Wash and dry anything you use" cannot be fulfiled by simply doing it to one item?[/nq]
To me the sentence means "If you use anything, wash it and dry it". So no.
David
To me the sentence means "If you use anything, wash it and dry it". So no.
David
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Drow Oberoth wrote on 17 Dec 2004:
[nq:1]I understand that anything does not mean "any one thing", but it certainly does NOT mean "everything."[/nq]
Right. It means "Get me something. I don't care what it is."
[nq:1]And are you trying to tell me that "Wash and dry anything you use" cannot be fulfiled by simply doing it to one item?[/nq]
In this case I'd say they both mean the same
[nq:1]I understand that anything does not mean "any one thing", but it certainly does NOT mean "everything."[/nq]
Right. It means "Get me something. I don't care what it is."
[nq:1]And are you trying to tell me that "Wash and dry anything you use" cannot be fulfiled by simply doing it to one item?[/nq]
In this case I'd say they both mean the same
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