I need numbers!

[ahanix1989]

"I'll take a couple legs, and 12 wedges"
"Ok, how many legs would you like?"
"I SAID FOUR!"


1) Bull---- you said four. You said couple.
2) Let's go by my rules for vague numbers.

A: One. Duh
Couple: Two or Three
Few: Four or Five
Several: Six or Seven

Now, some people will be "OMG STOOPID THREE IS A FEW!"

Let's look at my reasoning.

One is obviously going to be one. No questions.
Some say three would be considered a "few", but that would make 2 the exclusive for "couple", and what the hell would be the point of "couple" if it were always only two. So, couple is Two or Three.

Few is Four or Five.
Several is Six or Seven.

See my reasoning?

My point is, NEVER say "Couple", "Few", or "Several". We're not doing partial pieces of chicken. I can't serve you π pieces of chicken.

[cheese]

I disagree - couple always means 2. Who ever heard of a married couple being 3 of them? (could be fun though.)
I was always taught that a few means 3.

I have learnt not to take customers literally when they ask for a "couple" of an item though, and always clarify if its 2 that they want.. its not worth the hassle if you get it wrong!

[Broomjockey]

Frankly, I agree that couple = two or three, for the exact same reason. If you are talking about things, then the "married couple" doesn't apply, and even if you're talking about people, how often have you said something like "I'm going out with a couple friends" meaning more than just two? It's an imprecise word, so if you want precision, use two, otherwise, couple has to have some flexibility to it, and that can only be provided by using it to mean "two or three"

[Mark Healey]

I disagree - couple always means 2. Who ever heard of a married couple being 3 of them?

Moslems and Mormons.

[BookstoreEscapee]

a couple definitions of couple

You're right.
Just to clear things up:

From Dictionary.com

1. two of the same sort considered together; pair.

2-13. all refer to two, a pair, or something that connects two things (ie a railroad coupling) or the act of connecting two things

14. a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: It will take a couple of days for the package to get there.

So yes, in most cases, a couple would be 2, but in the casual vocabulary of ordering, say, pieces of chicken, yes, it is an imprecise quantity.

So, yes, you're right

[cheese]

Why does it have to have some flexibilty? People say all manner of words when they could just say two - pair for example. Also the dictionary definition for couple is two.

But thats going off topic a bit.. anyway, whatever way we argue, four certainly isn't a couple, like the customer said.

[ahanix1989]

Or "I'll also take some wedges"


HOW MANY, DAMMIT? 6pc is some. 48pc is some.



Sorry, I'm pissed because some woman sauntered (well, waddled technically) up to the counter, when we had half a pan of chicken available.
She wanted, in the end,

16 piece chicken bucket
36 piece potato wedges
12 piece honey wings (Had to be cooked)
6 piece shrimp dinner (Had to be cooked)
4 piece cod dinner (Had to be cooked)
1½ pound salad
Two pounds of coleslaw
Two dozen rolls

$35 in food, and it never occured to her to CALL THIS IN SO WE'RE NOT SCREWED FOR THE THE NEXT HALF AN HOUR RECOVERING THE LOST FOOD

[KamenRiderOsaka]

Only $35 bucks? Thats CHEEEAAAAPPP! Hubby and I go to KFC, and get a bucket o'chicken (like 16 pc for a few days of eatin) and 8 biscuits...its like $25 bucks.

[Imogene]

because some woman

Imprecise word!
Some woman... How many is that?
*makes the shaving my fingers gesture*

[ahanix1989]

I apologize.

A woman.

Or to be politically correct, an individual. or a person.

[Imogene]

*smiles*
No need to apologize. I was just being my usual, odd self.
*hugs, to show there's no hard feelings*

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I have learnt not to take customers literally when they ask for a "couple" of an item though, and always clarify if its 2 that they want.. its not worth the hassle if you get it wrong!

Problem is, it's also not worth the hassle when you clarify to make sure the customer gets what they want. If you get it wrong when you're clarifying you get"

"How retarded are you? Don't you know what a few means?"
"Goddamnit! Can't you morons do ANYTHING right?"
"You miserable [fornicate]tard! Just give me my three goddamn legs! Three...one...two...three (holds up three fingers and slowly counts them out for you). See? That's three. I want that many! (thrusting three extended fingers into your face). That's not too hard is it? My little boy (pointing to his spawn who appears incapable of doing more complex than making and dispensing boogers) here can tell you what three is"

That last one was heard at a shore stop in Salisbury. Sadly I was the one behind him and I could see the soul of the clerk behind the counter being shredded to ribbons.

M

[BookstoreEscapee]

Three...one...two...three (holds up three fingers and slowly counts them out for you). See? That's three. I want that many! (thrusting three extended fingers into your face).
M

Just be glad it's not more than ten - she might have to take off her shoes...

[Becks]

When customers give me some vague wording as to the amount of food they want, I get the minimum amount of said order, show it to them and say "How's this?" If it's good, they tell me so. If they want more, I give them more. Most of the time it works well.

[CRXPanda]

this is how I learned from my grandmother when we lived downtown and had to go to the "market" buying chickens/chicks, grain, feed, collard greens, old school lifestyle. she was born in 1903, black, deep south.

1= a...or "uh" (as pronounced here)
2=couple
3=few
4=two-pair
5=quint
6=halfdozen
12=dozen
18=dozen and a half
24=two dozen
you get how it goes