random thought of teh day - Page 7

**theholycow** · 05-06-2010, 07:13 PM

Yes. A couple is exactly 2. A few is never less than 3.

Cez★ · 05-06-2010, 07:15 PM

serios?

**theholycow** · 05-06-2010, 07:16 PM

Foshizzle.

Cez★ · 05-06-2010, 07:18 PM

well damn. i thought one was less than ten and teh other was more

**theholycow** · 05-06-2010, 07:24 PM

Nope.

That's why "couple" is used to describe a pair of boyfriend/girlfriend (or spouses or two of the same gender that are gay, etc) but not used to describe three or more (usually described as a threesome, foursome, etc).

Cez★ · 05-06-2010, 07:26 PM

ahhh i seee. i never thought of it using boyfriend and girlfriend

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 03:19 PM

then throw several into the mix

i think thats like 7+ or some shit

**theholycow** · 05-07-2010, 03:28 PM

Several might mean a different quantity than a few, but I always thought the difference was in connotation, where "several" is used when the fact that there's more than one is a surprise or they're different from each other, while "a few" is used when the quantity is expected to be more rather than less and generally when the things in question are very similar to each other.

Cez★ · 05-07-2010, 03:35 PM

:headexplodes:

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 04:14 PM

so "i went to the store and there were a few Monsters left

" vs "i went to the store and there were several Monsters left

"

---------- Post added at 08:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 AM ----------

several sounds like more than few to me

Cez★ · 05-07-2010, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cez

:headexplodes:

**theholycow** · 05-07-2010, 04:21 PM

Yes, exactly. It sounds like more, while few sounds like less. I don't think they specifically mean a different quantity, though.

"I went to the store and there were a few Monsters left" - I feel relieved because I was able to get a Monster.
"I went to the store and there were several Monsters left" - There were plenty (even if I define "plenty" as 3, since I was only buying one).

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 04:36 PM

If anything after a couple is somewhere from 3 to n. Few could represent 3 to n/2 and several could be n/2 to n.

**theholycow** · 05-07-2010, 04:47 PM

Several definitely overlaps with a few, even if it doesn't cover exactly the same range.

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 04:49 PM

then perhaps few = 3 to .75n and several = .25n to n they overlap by .5n

**theholycow** · 05-07-2010, 04:51 PM

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Several
sev·er·al [sev-er-uhl, sev-ruhl] Show IPA
–adjective
1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind: several ways of doing it.
2. respective; individual: They went their several ways.
3. separate; different: several occasions.

http://thesaurus.com/browse/Several
several
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: assorted, various
Synonyms: a few, a lot, {...}

---------- Post added at 11:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:51 AM ----------

Who the fuck says "They went their several ways"?

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 04:58 PM

zomg few synonym, now head can explode

few != several immfo

So according to the definition/synonyms.. couple < few = several < many

IMO a few = some, several = a lot

Cez★ · 05-07-2010, 05:01 PM

this has turned into quite the convo

**theholycow** · 05-07-2010, 05:02 PM

couple < few ~< several < many

How about many vs. a lot? a lot vs. lots? Where does a metric fuckton fit into that?

**stonehenge** · 05-07-2010, 05:03 PM

metric fuckton / shitton / fuckload > all

Keeler · 05-08-2010, 06:34 AM

Why is there braille writing on a drive up ATM?

shootermcgavin003 · 05-09-2010, 08:35 PM

big ass hoe be annoying

i did grab it though

BillyJeanKing · 05-20-2010, 12:19 AM

i used to eat big macs and whoppers while all teh other kids were eating happy meals

that is all

**stonehenge** · 05-20-2010, 02:25 PM

Bamf status

Cez★ · 06-03-2010, 06:52 PM

any you gaiz seen apocalypto?

05-06-2010, 07:13 PM	#151
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Yes. A couple is exactly 2. A few is never less than 3. __________________

05-06-2010, 07:16 PM	#153
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Foshizzle. __________________

05-06-2010, 07:24 PM	#155
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Nope. That's why "couple" is used to describe a pair of boyfriend/girlfriend (or spouses or two of the same gender that are gay, etc) but not used to describe three or more (usually described as a threesome, foursome, etc). __________________

05-07-2010, 03:19 PM	#157
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	then throw several into the mix i think thats like 7+ or some shit __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-07-2010, 03:28 PM	#158
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Several might mean a different quantity than a few, but I always thought the difference was in connotation, where "several" is used when the fact that there's more than one is a surprise or they're different from each other, while "a few" is used when the quantity is expected to be more rather than less and generally when the things in question are very similar to each other. __________________

05-07-2010, 04:14 PM	#160
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	so "i went to the store and there were a few Monsters left " vs "i went to the store and there were several Monsters left " ---------- Post added at 08:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 AM ---------- several sounds like more than few to me __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-07-2010, 04:21 PM	#162
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Yes, exactly. It sounds like more, while few sounds like less. I don't think they specifically mean a different quantity, though. "I went to the store and there were a few Monsters left" - I feel relieved because I was able to get a Monster. "I went to the store and there were several Monsters left" - There were plenty (even if I define "plenty" as 3, since I was only buying one). __________________

05-07-2010, 04:36 PM	#163
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	If anything after a couple is somewhere from 3 to n. Few could represent 3 to n/2 and several could be n/2 to n. __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-07-2010, 04:47 PM	#164
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	Several definitely overlaps with a few, even if it doesn't cover exactly the same range. __________________

05-07-2010, 04:49 PM	#165
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	then perhaps few = 3 to .75n and several = .25n to n they overlap by .5n __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-07-2010, 04:51 PM	#166
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Several sev·er·al [sev-er-uhl, sev-ruhl] Show IPA –adjective 1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind: several ways of doing it. 2. respective; individual: They went their several ways. 3. separate; different: several occasions. http://thesaurus.com/browse/Several several Part of Speech: adjective Definition: assorted, various Synonyms: a few, a lot, {...} ---------- Post added at 11:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:51 AM ---------- Who the fuck says "They went their several ways"? __________________

05-07-2010, 04:58 PM	#167
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	zomg few synonym, now head can explode few != several immfo So according to the definition/synonyms.. couple < few = several < many IMO a few = some, several = a lot __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-07-2010, 05:02 PM	#169
theholycow Bovinus Administratus Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greener pastures Posts: 32,377	couple < few ~< several < many How about many vs. a lot? a lot vs. lots? Where does a metric fuckton fit into that? __________________

05-07-2010, 05:03 PM	#170
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	metric fuckton / shitton / fuckload > all __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

05-08-2010, 06:34 AM	#171
Keeler Skeet skeet Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Claremore, Ok Age: 39 Posts: 695	Why is there braille writing on a drive up ATM? __________________

05-09-2010, 08:35 PM	#172
shootermcgavin003 Pro Golfer Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: In the hole, every time. Posts: 20,687	big ass hoe be annoying i did grab it though

05-20-2010, 12:19 AM	#173
BillyJeanKing Sneakers O'Toole Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: .............. Posts: 40,600	i used to eat big macs and whoppers while all teh other kids were eating happy meals that is all

05-20-2010, 02:25 PM	#174
stonehenge Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hoenn Posts: 85,082	Re: random thought of teh day Bamf status __________________ \| Smilies To-Do \| MAL (bishplz) \| Current PS+ Free Games\|

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