Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[yoshi-pooh]

Hi, everyone


Let me ask again about a similar topic with the last one.

If I say to you "Mr. Brown is as smart as anybody", what does that mean?

Thank you!

yoshi-pooh

[lotus]

Hi yoshi-pooh,

"Mr. Brown is as smart as anybody."

Its literal meaning is that Mr. Brown is as smart as anyone else. Out of everyone, Mr. Brown is as smart as the smartest.

Its connotative meaning is that Mr. Brown is equally smart, if not smarter, than anyone else. It can mean (connotatively) that Mr. Brown is smarter than everyone else.


He's as smart as anyone I know.
He's smarter than anyone I know.

These two sentences can have the same connotative meaning.


--lotus
_________________
War does not make one great --Yoda