[Buddha-l] 9. Attadiipaa Sutta (Joy Vriens)

[Richard Hayes]

On May 11, 2010, at 3:49 AM, L.S. Cousins wrote:

>> In general English usage, according to my exposure to it, a "couple" means
>> two, "few" means three or bit more than that, and "numerous" would be
>> anything that is more than a few. Numerous is not synonymous with
>> "ubiquitous."
> 
> Well, I am not sure if they speak English on the island on the other 
> side of the flood; so perhaps we had better agree to disagree on the usage.

It may help to recall that we Americans have a tendency to be literalists in as many matters as possible. So when an American uses the word 'numerous', he just means that it can be counted in some way and a number can be attached to it. Oh, and it should be added that zero counts as a number. This explains how it is that when a husband looks in the refrigerator for eggs and finds none, he reports to his wife that there are numerous eggs in the refrigerator (and then complains bitterly when she fails to buy eggs on the next shopping expedition).

I'd say more, but the I have to catch the next fairy back to my island.

Richard