Šuplík: Crowd Size & Public Space – A Reflection

Rounding of natural numbers is discussed in the 5th grade. But in math class. On the other hand, the teaching of language rounding, which is a much more demanding subject, is neglected, even ignored. Therefore, our Šuplík must enter the field of enlightenment. Who if not us?

Linguistic rounding consists in which adjective, adverb – and someone can do it even with an interjection – to complete the corresponding number. What is “more than” and “over” and what is “less than”, “almost”, “almost” and “less than”. Or, and this is a really polished tool, to round the number with the word “almost”.

It all matters. It is forbidden to play with it.

You must round correctly and appropriately according to what you are currently calculating – from kilograms of pears to election results to billions of national debt. And also depending on what you want to express by rounding – from disappointment that the number is less than you would like, to satisfaction that the number has “almost” reached the desired round sum or magic limit. At the same time, they make everything even more complicated: the difference between 2997 and 2999 is exactly the same as between 2999 and 3001, but suddenly we moved from “not quite” and “almost” – only a little was missing! – to a higher dimension of being. Just a word.

When it is said that “almost” and “almost” three thousand visitors came to the hockey match, we unmistakably hear optimism and satisfaction. Whereas “less than” three thousand is not much, a slight disappointment. The same applies to participation in other public events, such as demonstrations. “Almost” or “up to” 10 thousand people implies that a nation has risen. “Less than” 10 thousand? Weakness, it was better.

The reality is the same in both cases.

Now let’s give the floor to the experts from the archive of the magazine Naše řeč: The auxiliary word brings to the basic meaning of the word combination, with which we need to express a number, a certain sign of meaning: although we always indicate the apparently same number, we also express “something extra” at the same time. Users of the Czech language do not always feel this sign of meaning in the same way, in certain contexts it may seem more or less appropriate and happy to them.

This is an important note: Whether the word “almost” sounds like a success or a disappointment in some context depends on the subjective understanding of each of us. What is enough and what is not enough?

We recommend rounding using the preposition “on”. It’s a reliable yet subtle warning that a number means “a lot.”

After all, it does not depend on whether we are currently under or above the round border. But when you hear that “three dozen die-hards” gathered somewhere, you feel that it’s a pretty solid turnout. Three tens by themselves do not mean anything, take such news as you can. “About”, “roughly” three dozen tough guys? Same thing, we still don’t know what we’re up to. But “on” three dozen hardy already sounds like information with added value, in this case positive. This finesse has been used since time immemorial, in the old film weeklies we hear that the fair was attended by “three hundred exhibitors from fifty countries”, which is supposed to be a reason for an approving grunt. And the like.

On the contrary, the adjective “full” is quite a humpolic tool. It puts too much pressure on the saw. “Fully 10,000 people came to the demonstration” – that’s what the rounder kicked off right away. Of course, the same caveats also apply to “only”, “barely” or “not at all”. Your preferences are striking, the numbers unbelievable. Get off that chandelier, Donald.

The basis is to clarify what we are counting and rounding. And evaluate accordingly how the result will sound. Think carefully if a watch with a water fountain costs less than a hundred thousand, or almost a hundred thousand. Was the record broken by almost, less than, full or just two seconds? Did the police seize gold worth less than five million, or almost five million? Up to five million? Has the budget fallen into deficit almost, almost or less than xyz billion?

“Less than” and probably not even “incomplete” are in any case not suitable for the linguistic rounding of damages to life and property. “Floods claimed less than a hundred lives”, that is cynicism. “The average salary has risen by almost a full ten crowns”, that’s a shame. We understand each other.