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in some detail

English translation: not quite as thoroughly as "in detail"

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:in some detail
Selected answer: not quite as thoroughly as "in detail"
Entered by: Julia Zou

02:28 Apr 6, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Medical - Medical: Health Care
English term or phrase: in some detail
A hobby should involve element(s) of concentration, knowledge and memory, and manual skills. If hobbies other than those in the menu are offered try to describe what the patient does ***in some detail*** so that we can monitor this.
Is there any difference between "in detail" and "in some detail"? If there's any, what is it?
Thank you very much in advance!
Julia Zou
China
Local time: 00:46
"in some detail" -- not quite as thoroughly as "in detail"
Explanation:
Meaning they want a general outline, rather than a comprehensive study.
Selected response from:

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 12:46
Grading comment
Thank you very much!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +7"in some detail" -- not quite as thoroughly as "in detail"
Mark Berelekhis
4in quite a bit/lot of detail
Carol Gullidge


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
"in some detail" -- not quite as thoroughly as "in detail"


Explanation:
Meaning they want a general outline, rather than a comprehensive study.

Mark Berelekhis
United States
Local time: 12:46
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thank you very much!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  orientalhorizon
1 min
  -> Thank you, oriental.
agree  David Hollywood: I agree Mark but there is a degree of ambiguity :) but you're on the button here :) I'm Irish and "some" for me could also be "a lot" .. probably not too widespread you're spot on here and my local dialect got me off on the wrong track :)
5 mins
  -> Thank you, David. Once I posted my answer and saw yours, I got that sinking feeling that I may have lost it :)
agree  Jack Doughty: That is some response from David! But I think you're right.//Exactly, that was the point, but you're right here.
4 hrs
  -> Haha, thank you, Jack. (Interestingly enough, your use of 'some' here pertains more to David's answer!)
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Marju.
disagree  David Moore (X): If David posted an answer, I didn't see it, which is a pity. The point is, it ALL depends on the inflection used - it doesn't always mean less thoroughly without the "some".
6 hrs
  -> David, I was answering based on context, and nowhere did I say this rule is absolute. Forgive me, but I believe the disagree is unwarranted.
agree  PoveyTrans (X): IMO both are possible but this is most likely here.
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, Simon.
agree  Asghar Bhatti: Agreed with Simon.
11 hrs
  -> Thank you, Asghar.
agree  Trudy Peters
1 day 17 mins
  -> Thank you, Trudy.
agree  V_Nedkov
17 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in quite a bit/lot of detail


Explanation:
The way I see it, "some" is used as an intensifier here, and could actually mean "rather a lot" - strange though that might seem. At any rate, it certainly means more than just "a little", which would be "some details" (pl). Supplying some details would be the same as supplying a few details, but "in some detail" means "quite detailed" or "quite a detailed account", where "quite" is, once again, an intensifier.

It's a pity David hid his answer, as I might well have agreed with it - but now I'll never know!

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your help!

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