quantifier A few

Question

Please could you tell me if A few is a comparative quantifier? thanks

"Few" is a negative expression but "a few" is a positive expression. - ian-hill, Mar 8, 2011

I have few friends - aahh que pena ! I have a few friends ( better than no friends) - ian-hill, Mar 8, 2011

thanks Jan-hill - maylegoas, Mar 9, 2011

Answer 1

As in a few more or a few less? (poco vs poco más que/de o poco menos que/de)

We have a few more apples than we have oranges.

We have a few less oranges than apples.

As commented below: fewer (not a few) would be comparative but not quantitative. (fewer could refer to 2 or 3 or 2 or 3 thousand depending on scale)

I have fewer than 10 lessons to go until I'm finished. (compares remaining to 10)

I have fewer answers than questions. (no idea of quantity)

so, why my sentence:" I had have a few friends five years ago than now." Is wrong? - maylegoas, Mar 8, 2011

I had a few more friends five years ago than I have now. - 0074b507, Mar 8, 2011

it is the "more" or "less" that allows it to be comparative. The "few" just quantifies how much "more" or "less." - 0074b507, Mar 8, 2011

thanks gfreed. - maylegoas, Mar 8, 2011

a few fewer ... (not "less" for purists). - samdie, Mar 8, 2011

and fewer was probably what was meant; not a few. I have fewer oranges than apples. I have fewer than a dozen left. - 0074b507, Mar 8, 2011

thanks gfreed. - maylegoas, Mar 9, 2011

Answer 2

By itself, no. I have a few apples. (Tengo unas pocas/quantas manzanas.). Add "more/fewer" to the English and you have a comparative.

By itself, "few" simply means a small (unspecified)number. Grammatically, it is no different from saying "I have two/three apples."

Answer 3

Hola, mayle,

From what I know of the definitions of "comparative" and

"quantifier", it would seem to be, although I have not heard

that term before . . .

huh? - 0074b507, Mar 8, 2011

Only with the addition of "more" or "fewer" does it become comparative. - samdie, Mar 8, 2011