3 ms·
Have you ever lived in the UK? Because I've never thought of "two or three" as meaning that two is more likely than three. Are you sure that other people actua
by arrowsmith 2y ago
Have you ever lived in the UK? Because I've never thought of "two or three" as meaning that two is more likely than three.
Are you sure that other people actually mean this when they say it, or are you just adding the extra connotation in your head?
Also I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone say "three or two". That sounds weird, like saying "fork and knife".
- huhtenberg 2y agoNot in the UK, no. But I did live in Canada, the US and across Europe. Not that it's commonly used and not with 3 and 2 specifically, but when used and the pair is inverted, it's meant to convey that the former is more likely. That's just like ... common sense, really.
- alarge 2y agoLest anyone draw the conclusion that this is a US thing, it certainly is not. I've lived in many places throughout the US and have never heard anyone say "three or two". Nor does "two or three" carry the connotation that two is likelier. A closer fit to that would be "a couple", which formally means two, but sometimes means "a small number".