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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 41
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 41 |
There is a space between each chair.
There is a space between the chairs.
Which of the above sentences should I use?
Thanks.
Last edited by Lionel Koh; 11/28/2012 6:21 AM. Reason: typo
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963
old hand
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old hand
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963 |
Welcome, Lionel.
To me, the first one makes no sense, so I would advise using the second; however, I have heard it argued that the first way is used so commonly, the meaning is so clear, that at least in conversation it is acceptable. I always wonder, though; if you remove all but one chair, is there a space between it?
Peter
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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My first thought was the second, but thinking about it I think the first would cover a whole line of chairs that the second leaves kind of unmentioned. It could also be taken to mean that there were two groups of chairs with a space between the groups. However, I might amend the first to read:
There is a space between each pair of chairs.
But really, without some context any way you say it could be misconstrued. Context, like redundancy, is our friend.
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jun 2010
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Yes sirree, Faldage, context is our friend. But so is logic.
A semantic diagram of (1) can only mean x_x_x_x etc.
While a diagram of (2) can only mean xxxx__xxxx meaning aisle.
As they stand they are mutually exclusive statements.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The chairs could be pell-mell all over the floor. There would be no equal space between them. There would not be a space. Just space.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956 |
Not sure of the rules but I would remove the 'a' in both sentences.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Overall, I agree with my friend olly. "A" space to me implies one specific measurement--that is, the spaces between all the chairs are equivalent; but, implies only: I can't argue with somebody saying the spaces are of different measurements.
between the chairs could mean not necessarily all of the chairs; saying each chair removes that possibility.
Depends on what you want to convey, I reckon. If I heard, "The crew set up the auditorium so that there is space between the chairs", I would assume that it meant that none of the chairs touched another.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Yes sirree, Faldage, context is our friend. But so is logic.
There are so many things that trump logic in language use. Logic comes in about three levels after last sometimes.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Jun 2010
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Yes sirree, Faldage, context is our friend. But so is logic.
There are so many things that trump logic in language use. Logic comes in about three levels after last sometimes. Strange. You not being a woman and you understand this.  But, again, language serves to delimit as it describes. And the two sentences in question order the spacial relationship between chairs and space differently. Why -you being a man- didn't you understand this?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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