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Navitasan Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

some or all

1) I have had difficulty understanding Southerners' accents.
Does this mean:
a) I have had difficulty understanding some Southerners' accents.
or
b) I have had difficulty understanding all Southerners' accents.

===
2) I have had difficulty understanding Southerners' sense of humor.

Does this mean:
2a) I have had difficulty understanding some Southerners' sense of humor.
or
2b) I have had difficulty understanding all Southerners' sense of humor.

Gratefully,
Navi.
  

Top answer

The distinction between 'all' and 'some' is not specifically indicated in those sentences. In practical terms it would be up to the listener to work out the possibilities and conclude that the speaker almost certainly meant some of those Southerners whom I have spoken to . It doesn't make sense that the speaker has spoken to all of the several million Southerners that there are, so 'all' seems most unlikely—even absurd.

— CalifJim

  • The distinction between 'all' and 'some' is not specifically indicated in those sentences.
  • In practical terms it would be up to the listener to work out the possibilities and conclude that the speaker almost certainly meant some of those Southerners whom I have spoken to .
  • It doesn't make sense that the speaker has spoken to all of the several million Southerners that there are, so 'all' seems most unlikely—even absurd.
  • CJ
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1 Answers
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The distinction between 'all' and 'some' is not specifically indicated in those sentences.

In practical terms it would be up to the listener to work out the possibilities and conclude that the speaker almost certainly meant some of those Southerners whom I have spoken to.

It doesn't make sense that the speaker has spoken to all of the several million Southerners that there
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