Poll on couple, few, and several

[conuly]

Over here, thanks to sayga.

Am I the only one who uses those words differently depending on what's being counted?

Edit: Whoops, it's locked. I asked if she'd unlock, but if she doesn't she doesn't.

Edit: Unlocked, thankies :)

Comments

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Couple means two.

Few and several both mean three to five.

What is being counted doesn't matter.

[conuly]

So few and several are synonyms to you?

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Once I figured out that "several" and "seven" were different, then yes.

[conuly]

That's good to know. If it ever came up naturally it could cause no end of confusion.

[ursamajor]

I have a similar hierarchy to griffen, though I don't think I could trace it back to any sort of dictionary or other hierarchical source. To me:

Couple: two, maybe more "if you're lucky" - "I have just a couple of those left" would be my typical "may or may not be two, but the chances of it being enough in quantity to imply 'few' or 'several' are very low" usage, but usually I use it to imply "two."
Several: Three or more.
Few: Four or more.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, to me, I think "several" is/are more than "few."

(Entry is unlocked now)

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

couple = two, or possibly three, but most likely not
few = three or four, possibly five, possibly only two
several = five at an absolute minimum, ideally six to eight, but as many as about ten.

I suppose that what is being counted, or more specifically the size/wholeness of the things being counted, might have some effect on the limits. For example, two normal potato chips and a small or broken potato chip would be "a couple" (since one of them is not a full potato chip, this does not make "a few"). Six people could be "a few" if they are three couples or two families (since they go together, they count as fewer).

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Couple means two.

Few and several both mean three to five.

What is being counted doesn't matter.

[conuly]

So few and several are synonyms to you?

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Once I figured out that "several" and "seven" were different, then yes.

[conuly]

That's good to know. If it ever came up naturally it could cause no end of confusion.

[ursamajor]

I have a similar hierarchy to griffen, though I don't think I could trace it back to any sort of dictionary or other hierarchical source. To me:

Couple: two, maybe more "if you're lucky" - "I have just a couple of those left" would be my typical "may or may not be two, but the chances of it being enough in quantity to imply 'few' or 'several' are very low" usage, but usually I use it to imply "two."
Several: Three or more.
Few: Four or more.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, to me, I think "several" is/are more than "few."

(Entry is unlocked now)

[sparkofcreation.livejournal.com]

couple = two, or possibly three, but most likely not
few = three or four, possibly five, possibly only two
several = five at an absolute minimum, ideally six to eight, but as many as about ten.

I suppose that what is being counted, or more specifically the size/wholeness of the things being counted, might have some effect on the limits. For example, two normal potato chips and a small or broken potato chip would be "a couple" (since one of them is not a full potato chip, this does not make "a few"). Six people could be "a few" if they are three couples or two families (since they go together, they count as fewer).