posted by rfvv yesterday at 3:29am
1. Don't throw away your old clothes, shoes, or books.
They will be useful to someone.
2. You can buy things at low prices.
3. Don't throw away your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books.
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Q1: Are "your old clothes, shoes, or books" in generic use?
Or are they just mean some of "your old clothes, shoes, or books" or many of "your old clothes, shoes, or books"?
Q2: In #2, is the word 'things' in generic use? Or does things just mean some things?
Q3: Does #1 always mean #3?
Reed yesterday at 10:55am
Q1 - yes, "your clothes, shoes, or books" means all of them, not just a few or some of them.
Q2 - "things" means material goods generally, nothing specific (not some, but all).
Q3 - yes, one and three mean the same. Repeating "your" before each item in the series is not necessary, though. Number one is best.
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Thank you for your help.
1. Don't throw away your old clothes, shoes, or books.
They will be useful to someone.
2. You can buy things at low prices.
3. Don't throw away your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books.
1-1. He threw away his old clothes, shoes, or books.
They will be useful to someone.
[ Does ' his old clothes, shoes, or books' mean some of his old clothes, shoes, or books? Or does it mean ' his old clothes, shoes, or books in general' ?]
2-1. You bought things at low prices.
[Does the word 'things' mean 'some things' or things in general?]
3-1. You threw away your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books.
[Does 'your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books' mean some old colthes, shoes or books? Or 'old colthes, shoes or books' in general?]
1-1 and 3-1: It is assumed that he threw away whatever shoes, clothes, and books he thought were old and of no further use to him. He probably means all that he considers old and of no further use to him. The implication is all of them.
2-1: The implication is that whatever things he bought (whatever they were) was at a low price. The sentence does not specify that he buys all his purchases at low price or specific things (as in one purchase or shopping trip).
1-1. In the sentence "He threw away his old clothes, shoes, or books. They will be useful to someone," the phrase "his old clothes, shoes, or books" could mean either some of his old clothes, shoes, or books or all of his old clothes, shoes, or books. The specific meaning would depend on the context of the sentence. Without additional information, it is not clear whether the speaker is referring to a subset of the items or the entire set.
2-1. In the sentence "You bought things at low prices," the word "things" generally means material goods in a general sense. It does not specify whether it refers to some things or things in general. Again, the context of the sentence would provide more clarity.
3-1. In the sentence "You threw away your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books," the phrase "your old clothes, your old shoes, or your old books" could also mean either some specific old clothes, shoes, or books or all of them, depending on the context. Without further context, it is not possible to determine whether the speaker is referring to a subset or the entirety of the mentioned items.