atw: Re: Not ... all
- From: Rod Stuart <rod.stuart@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 11:58:04 +1100
Quite correct Howard. They MEANT to say "smoking is prohibited in all areas"
2009/10/9 Jim Rountree <James.Rountree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Hi Howard
>
> I don't think you're being pedantic ... "not all" is consistent with
> "some", and definitely doesn't mean "not any"
>
> I wonder what the difference is between the smoking and telephone examples
> ... I agree noone would get the telephone one wrong but I bet lots of people
> get the smoking one wrong.
>
> Jim
>
> *Jim Rountree
> *Lead Technical Writer
> Biosystems Division
>
> Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd
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> Mt Waverley VIC 3149
> Australia
> telephone +61 3 9211 7400
> personal +61 3 9211 7587
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> ------------------------------
> *From:* austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Howard Silcock
> *Sent:* Friday, 9 October 2009 11:26
> *To:* austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* atw: Not ... all
>
> An email circulated in the government department where I work says 'smoking
> is not permitted in all areas of the building occupied or controlled by the
> Department'. I think the intended meaning is that you mustn't smoke in any
> of those areas.
>
> Am I being pedantic if I object that you could quite accurately interpret
> that as meaning just that there's at least one area where smoking isn't
> permitted?
>
> If I said, for example, 'telephones are not installed in all offices',
> surely you wouldn't think I meant that none of the offices had a phone? And
> isn't that a parallel example?
>
> Howard
>
--
Rod Stuart
6 Brickhill Drive
Dilston, TAS 7252, Australia
<rod.stuart@xxxxxxxxx>
M((040) 184 6575 V(03) 6312 5399
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