• Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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        17 hours ago

        When referring to a romantic partnership it would just be “a couple”, not “a couple of people”. The latter would be interpreted as a group of several where I am.

      • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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        17 hours ago

        It’s the phrase “a couple of blocks” that was under discussion. And then “ask me for a couple of something and I give them exactly two.” Couples of people didn’t arise until you shoehorned them in.

        • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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          17 hours ago

          No, I asked a question about couples as an example. It really doesn’t matter though, a couple of blocks, and a couple of people are still only two of each of those things.

      • Lauchmelder@feddit.org
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        18 hours ago

        how often have you referred to a romantic couple as “a couple of people”. What if I say “A couple of people attended my party”, does that mean a romantic couple showed up and no one else?

          • Lauchmelder@feddit.org
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            18 hours ago

            take it up with merriam-webster, an institution tracking how people use words and phrases

            • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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              17 hours ago

              No, I’m going to take it up with you since you posted it and called the other person a pedant while doing so.

                • atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works
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                  17 hours ago

                  You know what you’re at least right about that so I’ll just leave you alone to keep changing the context and keep claiming that you’re right about a couple in this instance.