Quantity expression
Hello, I am trying to translate the text below, but we are not familiar with the expression of dozen...
How would you think about the picture described here?
From our perch top this sandy bluff in northern Uzbewkistan, the view could be of just about any desert--that is, if it weren't for the mounds of sea shells and the half dozen marooned fishing boats.
To me it feels like, assuming that "the half dozen" is 6 ships isn't right...this is a National Geographic article about the Aral Sea.
Thank you very much for your help in advance.
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 7
1
I would understand this as meaning around six - probably five, six or seven boats (not ships).
The writer chose to say 'half a dozen' to be be deliberately vague. It doesn't matter exactly how many there are, because the writer is just giving a general description of the area. 'Half dozen' is more precise than 'several', but less precise than a number. If they had written 'six', we would have wondered whether the fact that there were exactly six was significant or not. As it is, the actual number is unimportant.
0
A dozen is 12 (unless it is 'a baker's dozen' in which case it is 13!), so half a dozen is 6. However, the expression 'a half dozen' is often used to just mean several, or approximately six.
0
You are right. A dozen in 12. Half dozen is 6. This is a casual way of saying 6 or 12 in English. It is very common in conversation
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!
Start Learning Today
