A Little Girl Selling Matches
Feb 14th 2012 04:18
some-any-selelction
"Going along the street, I met a little girl selling matches in the cold snow. Bending over her, I asked if she had sold [any / some], but the poor girl, looking up shyly, replied that she had sold none."
I'd like to know the difference in meaning between when "any" is used and when "some".
My guess is that if "any" is used it means the speaker thought she could've sold one match at most, but the usage of "some" implies the speaker thought it was possible that she'd sold several matches.
Is this guess right?
I'd appreciate your support!
I'd like to know the difference in meaning between when "any" is used and when "some".
My guess is that if "any" is used it means the speaker thought she could've sold one match at most, but the usage of "some" implies the speaker thought it was possible that she'd sold several matches.
Is this guess right?
I'd appreciate your support!
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Example1: I felt that the little girl had not sold any matches (meaning I felt that she sold zero matches).
But with "some" you give the impression that you feel that they have sold more than 1.
Example 2: I felt that the girl had at least sold some matches (meaning that i felt that she had at least sold 3).
Does that make sense? Sorry if it doesn't I'm so bad at explaining my own language xD
Oh, no no no!
Your explanation does make sense to me!
And it seems you have the same sense of "some" and "any" as tony-san, right?
Thank you very much, GirBuddy-san!!
"... if she had sold any (matches)... " means that the speaker thinks there is a strong possibility that she has sold none ( = she has not sold any = the answer to the question is "no" ).
"... if she had sold some (matches)..." doesn't exclude the possibility that she has sold none, but means that the speaker thinks it is reasonably possible that the answer is "yes".
So the distinction is more between zero and nonzero than between one and many. The phrasing of the question suggests the answer that the speaker expects to receive.
I feel that's very convincing.
Thank you so much!!