View topic - "(some)one" and "(some)body"

by **kurisuto** » Wed 04.15.2009 12:15 pm

Here's a short question, but one that keeps bothering me : what's the difference between (any/some/every/no)one and -body ? And if there's a difference, does the "average" native speaker make the distinction in everyday speech ?

by **richvh** » Wed 04.15.2009 12:34 pm

They're synonyms, with very little difference in usage.

by **kurisuto** » Wed 04.15.2009 12:41 pm

I see... Thanks !

by **alphafour** » Fri 07.17.2009 10:39 pm

I find that people use someone more than somebody because its easier to say at speed since the movement of the lips to produce the "b" in body takes more effort than going from "m" to "w" in someone.

by **kurisuto** » Sat 07.18.2009 9:28 am

Many thanks !

by **becki_kanou** » Sat 07.18.2009 6:52 pm

This might just be me, but I feel that someone is slightly more formal, and somebody slightly more casual. I wouldn't, for example, use some/every/anybody in a formal speech, but other than that they are interchangeable.