“we are some” or “we are a few”
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I don't know what should I say between "we are some" or "we are a few"
in the sentence below.
Also can both be said, if so please educate me on when should I use each ?
we are some in my department having ...
or
we are a few in my department having ...
(I'm a French Quebecker, google failed me, so as my Antidote software)
grammaticality
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
add a comment |
I don't know what should I say between "we are some" or "we are a few"
in the sentence below.
Also can both be said, if so please educate me on when should I use each ?
we are some in my department having ...
or
we are a few in my department having ...
(I'm a French Quebecker, google failed me, so as my Antidote software)
grammaticality
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
1
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
1
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
add a comment |
I don't know what should I say between "we are some" or "we are a few"
in the sentence below.
Also can both be said, if so please educate me on when should I use each ?
we are some in my department having ...
or
we are a few in my department having ...
(I'm a French Quebecker, google failed me, so as my Antidote software)
grammaticality
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
I don't know what should I say between "we are some" or "we are a few"
in the sentence below.
Also can both be said, if so please educate me on when should I use each ?
we are some in my department having ...
or
we are a few in my department having ...
(I'm a French Quebecker, google failed me, so as my Antidote software)
grammaticality
grammaticality
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
asked yesterday
CScienceSince2015CScienceSince2015
1
1
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
migrated from english.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts.
It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
1
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
1
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
add a comment |
It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
1
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
1
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
1
1
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
1
1
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Neither of the given forms is correct. Correct forms that might convey the intended meaning might include:
Some of us in my department are having a problem.
A few of us in my department are having a problem.
There are a few of us in my department who are having a problem.
These have pretty much identical meaning and usage, except that "some" could mean more than a few, indeed could mean a majority of the department.
If the intent is to identify the people in the department who are effected, one could say
We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
This goes better if adjacent speech indicates who "we" are.
John, Mark, and I are upset. We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
Another possibility is:
We are among the few in the department who are having a problem.
This says that the problem is not widespread -- only a few have it, but that "we" are only a part of that few.
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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votes
Neither of the given forms is correct. Correct forms that might convey the intended meaning might include:
Some of us in my department are having a problem.
A few of us in my department are having a problem.
There are a few of us in my department who are having a problem.
These have pretty much identical meaning and usage, except that "some" could mean more than a few, indeed could mean a majority of the department.
If the intent is to identify the people in the department who are effected, one could say
We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
This goes better if adjacent speech indicates who "we" are.
John, Mark, and I are upset. We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
Another possibility is:
We are among the few in the department who are having a problem.
This says that the problem is not widespread -- only a few have it, but that "we" are only a part of that few.
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
add a comment |
Neither of the given forms is correct. Correct forms that might convey the intended meaning might include:
Some of us in my department are having a problem.
A few of us in my department are having a problem.
There are a few of us in my department who are having a problem.
These have pretty much identical meaning and usage, except that "some" could mean more than a few, indeed could mean a majority of the department.
If the intent is to identify the people in the department who are effected, one could say
We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
This goes better if adjacent speech indicates who "we" are.
John, Mark, and I are upset. We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
Another possibility is:
We are among the few in the department who are having a problem.
This says that the problem is not widespread -- only a few have it, but that "we" are only a part of that few.
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
add a comment |
Neither of the given forms is correct. Correct forms that might convey the intended meaning might include:
Some of us in my department are having a problem.
A few of us in my department are having a problem.
There are a few of us in my department who are having a problem.
These have pretty much identical meaning and usage, except that "some" could mean more than a few, indeed could mean a majority of the department.
If the intent is to identify the people in the department who are effected, one could say
We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
This goes better if adjacent speech indicates who "we" are.
John, Mark, and I are upset. We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
Another possibility is:
We are among the few in the department who are having a problem.
This says that the problem is not widespread -- only a few have it, but that "we" are only a part of that few.
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
Neither of the given forms is correct. Correct forms that might convey the intended meaning might include:
Some of us in my department are having a problem.
A few of us in my department are having a problem.
There are a few of us in my department who are having a problem.
These have pretty much identical meaning and usage, except that "some" could mean more than a few, indeed could mean a majority of the department.
If the intent is to identify the people in the department who are effected, one could say
We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
This goes better if adjacent speech indicates who "we" are.
John, Mark, and I are upset. We are the ones in the department who are having a problem.
Another possibility is:
We are among the few in the department who are having a problem.
This says that the problem is not widespread -- only a few have it, but that "we" are only a part of that few.
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
answered yesterday
David SiegelDavid Siegel
2,508215
2,508215
add a comment |
add a comment |
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It looks like it should be something like "We are a few/some of those in my department..."
– James Random
yesterday
1
There's not enough context in your fragment to tell us exactly how you're trying to use few. Adjectivally, We [Scientologists] are few [and far between] in my department, having been subject to a purge on cult members last year. Or as a noun, There are a few of us here having / who have this problem.
– FumbleFingers
yesterday
1
To me (and given that there is no full sentence) it sounds more likely that it should be There are (a few / some) of us in my department who are having . . .
– Jason Bassford
yesterday