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How many?

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January 26, 2013, 13:37
Robert Arvanitis
How many?
Has this distinguished company every wrestled with the meaning of those undefined-quantity words?

What is the numerical order of: bunch couple cluster few group handful many scattering smattering several some...?


RJA
January 26, 2013, 15:50
<Proofreader>
I try to avoid finding myself in a situation where those arbitrary measurements are used. The last time I bought a bunch of automobiles, they put all the bad ones on the bottom.

I CAN see myself buying a cluster of bomblets, though.
January 26, 2013, 16:18
Geoff
I remember Linus (IIRC) in the Peanuts comic strip stating that he had a group of grapes. It seems Charles Shultz stayed awake nights pondering this very question. And then there's the military with their cluster bombs. How many comprise a cluster? Nobody I know is still alive to say how often they were clusted when the bomb hit.


It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. -J. Krishnamurti
January 26, 2013, 19:30
<Proofreader>
quote:
Nobody I know is still alive to say how often they were clusted when the bomb hit.

Although they were definitely cluster-f***ed.

And you don't want to get bombed by a cluster of these.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Proofreader>,
January 26, 2013, 20:28
Kalleh
Very interesting question, Robert. I searched, the best I could, to see if this has been discussed before. I did find this post, early on in WC's history (2002) on small quantities. Then, in 2005, quantity itself was discussed.