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I am not a native speaker, but my feeling is that several can also be used to insist on non-uniqueness. E.g. "Most rich families own several cars" or "Jupiter h
by bnegreve 3y ago
I am not a native speaker, but my feeling is that several can also be used to insist on non-uniqueness. E.g. "Most rich families own several cars" or "Jupiter has several moons" (= not one). I'm surprised that it is not mentioned in the article.
- robin_reala 3y agoJupiter has 95+ moons, which is stretching the definition of “several”.
- rawling 3y agoIt is. > Several came into English in the 1400s, but didn't develop its quantity meanings until the 1500s. (Several initially meant "distinct or separate" in English.) Yes, meanings: several originally referred to more than one. >> They be but one heire, and yet severall persons. — Edward Coke, _The first part of the institutes of the lawes of England _, 1628 It even mentions Jupiter's moons later!
- bnegreve 3y agoOh, indeed it is mentioned, i overlooked this part. > It even mentions Jupiter's moons later It is not a coincidence, I reused the example to illustrate my point.