ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Many

Kooyeen — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:01:51 GMT

Liveinjapan
Kooyeen
If you already know that there are "few" things

I know what you mean, Kooyeen.

Hi,
what I was saying was that "many" is ok even if you are referring to "few" things, as Feebs said. I am not 100% sure, but here's what I would do:

Mark has few books. I have as few books as Mark. <--- No, not usually. I might use it humorously, but I think it's usually "I have as many books as Mark", even if there's not many.
Read as few books as you can. You might learn too much. <--- Here it's ok though.

Disclaimer: Of course I might be wrong.

Re: Many

Liveinjapan — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:00:44 GMT

There're lots of ways to say it! Thanks, Feebs.

Re: Many

Feebs11 — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:32:34 GMT

Liveinjapan
Italy has as many natural resources as Japan does.

Let's say Italy and Japan are poor in natural resources.

Can I use many in this case?
What I want to say here is both have about the same small amount of natural resources.

Thanks
LiJ
_LSUCS>

Your original sentence is fine. "Many" is used in this way.

You could put the concept in several ways:

Both Japan and Italy are poor in natural resources.

Japan and Italy both have meagre natural resource.

Both Italy and Japan have few natural resources.

Japan has a few natural resources; so too does Italy.

Italy has as many natural resources as Japan.

Japan has as many natural resources as Italy.

Re: Many

Liveinjapan — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:14:56 GMT

Kooyeen
If you already know that there are "few" things

I know what you mean, Kooyeen.

Re: Many

Liveinjapan — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:13:39 GMT

Thanks for the lines, Ray.

Re: Many

Cool Breeze — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:09:45 GMT

Kooyeen
I don't agree. I think "as many as" is used for neutral comparisons, even if there are "few" things. More or less like when you ask "How many...?". If you already know that there are "few" things, do you ask "How few...?" instead? I don't think so. Just my opinion, anyway.

Hi Kooyeen

I agree with the natives. This is a borderline case. Resources is a plural but it is the amount rather than number of these resources that comes to mind first. Therefore there are restrictions on expressions that are normally used with plural nouns. Some of them sound unidiomatic.

Cheers

Re: Many

Marius Hancu — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:46:03 GMT

http://www.english4today.com/englishgrammar/grammar/ADJECTIVES11b.cfm

Re: Many

Kooyeen — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:31:24 GMT

I don't agree. I think "as many as" is used for neutral comparisons, even if there are "few" things. More or less like when you ask "How many...?". If you already know that there are "few" things, do you ask "How few...?" instead? I don't think so. Just my opinion, anyway.

Re: Many

RayH — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:29:25 GMT

Try these:

Italy and Japan are equally poor in natural resources.

Italy is poor in natural resources as is Japan.

Re: Many

Marius Hancu — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:10:11 GMT

Yes, but:

Italy has a few [meaning several, some] natural resources, just as Japan.

Re: Many

Liveinjapan — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:45:23 GMT

Thanks, Marius.

Italy has as few natural resources as Japan [has]. OK

Italy has as a few natural resources as Japan [has]. Not okay

Italy outputs as few natural resources as Japan [does]. OK

Right?

Re: Many

Marius Hancu — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:17:42 GMT

No, use:

Re: Few/ a few

or:

Italy is as meager in natural resources as Japan.

Also, BTW:

Italy has as many natural resources as Japan [has].

Many

Liveinjapan — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:42:10 GMT

Italy has as many natural resources as Japan does.

Let's say Italy and Japan are poor in natural resources.

Can I use many in this case?
What I want to say here is both have about the same small amount of natural resources.

Thanks
LiJ

_LSUCS>