On Sun, 2003-08-03 at 14:05, Leon Brooks wrote: > On Sat, 2 Aug 2003 17:53, Adam Williamson wrote: > > On Sat, 2003-08-02 at 06:31, Duncan wrote: > >> The term "a lot" is two separate words (and isn't considered > >> formally correct either, BTW, "altho" colloquial usage is > >> recognized). It means, as you were > > > What the hell do you mean, "isn't considered formally correct"? I've > > never seen any authority at all that considers "a lot" to be > > colloquial or vulgar. It's perfectly standard English. > > Except that it doesn't mean "many", it means "one unit of" (one > allotment of). "A lot of chok poi" means, strictly, one budle of it, > not "much chok poi".
No it doesn't. That's just a silly thing to say. That is indeed one meaning of the word "lot". Are you familiar with the concept of words having multiple meanings? Now I've left Cambridge I no longer have access to oed.com, unfortunately, but m-w.com will do as a poor substitute: One entry found for lot. Main Entry: 1lot Pronunciation: 'l�t Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hlot; akin to Old High German hlOz Date: before 12th century 1 : an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance 2 a : the use of lots as a means of deciding something b : the resulting choice 3 a : something that comes to one upon whom a lot has fallen : SHARE b : one's way of life or worldly fate : FORTUNE 4 a : a portion of land b : a measured parcel of land having fixed boundaries and designated on a plot or survey c : a motion-picture studio and its adjoining property 5 a : a number of units of an article, a single article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale) b : all the members of a present group, kind, or quantity -- used with the 6 a : a number of associated persons : SET b : KIND, SORT 7 : a considerable quantity or extent <a lot of money> <lots of friends> synonym see FATE - a lot 1 : to a considerable degree or extent <this is a lot nicer> 2 : OFTEN, FREQUENTLY <runs a lot every day> 3 : LOTS Note your definition as definitions 1 and 5, and the perfectly normal other usage of "a lot" as definitions 7 and 8. -- adamw
