what are the differences between the 'someone' and the 'somebody' ?
By Brook909
@Brook909 (110)
March 15, 2013 2:51am CST
hi,dear mylotters,we almost use the word of someone and somebody,but i really don't know the exact differences between them.further more i don't know the differences between the 'anyone'and the 'anybody' either,i'll really appriciate if you help me ,thanks
3 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 13
The two words are so close in meaning that they are almost interchangeable. However, 'someone' is very slightly less specific than 'somebody' and tends to be used when no specific person, likely to be identified later, is referred to.
"Someone scratched my car. I don't suppose that I shall ever find out who did it."
"Somebody scratched my car. I intend to ask around the office to find out who did it."
Another consideration is that 'someone' has two syllables while 'somebody' has three and therefore 'somebody' may be used to give slightly more emphasis to the statement or to fit better with the rhythm and assonance of the sentence.
The same rules would apply to 'anyone' or 'anybody'.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
15 Mar 13
I've never heard that distinction, do you believe people really draw such?
all the best, urban
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 13
I had never really though about it before but I found several pages where this kind of distinction is made and had to try out several examples in my head. I came to the conclusion that there is a very slight distinction in meaning but it's by no means clear cut.
Most people would use the two words indiscriminately most of the time, choosing one or the other depending on the rhythm, assonance and emphasis required. Most people say that 'somebody'/'anybody'/'nobody'/'everybody' is slightly less formal. It's not so true today as it would have been 100 years ago when to refer to a person as a 'body' was considered 'common' and somewhat rude. The 'one' form of the words would be politer. Such considerations are far less important these days but I know many people who would tend to avoid the use of '___body' in polite conversation.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 13
Some of the pages I found were:
http://www.differencebetween.net/language/differences-between-someone-and-somebody/
http://www.englishpractice.com/grammar/somebody-someone-anybody-anyone-etc/
If I were addressing a class of students, I might say: "Someone here is not paying attention!" if I was aware that one person was not paying attention but didn't need to be identified, whereas I might prefer "Somebody has been writing on the wall of the boys' toilets" if I intended to find out the culprit.
There certainly IS a distinction but it isn't necessarily consistent!
@urbandekay (18278)
•
15 Mar 13
As a native English speaker, I use somebody and someone interchangeably as I do anyone and anybody, they are synonymous, within their pairs, I believe.
Anybody/anyone are not, however interchangeable with someone/somebody
So, you can say, "I saw somebody/someone
but not, "I saw anybody/anyone
and
I did not see anyone/anybody
but not "I did not see somebody/someone
I would normally choose the variants, somebody and anyone, though that is perhaps personal choice.
all the best, urban
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 13
'Anybody' and 'anyone' are also more commonly used in a question.
"Did you see anyone/anybody come through this door?" (means did anyone at all go through the door?)
"Did you see someone/somebody come through this door?" (means that the questioner probably has a particular person in mind)
As Urban says, 'anyone'/'anybody' and 'no one'/'nobody' would be more common in a negative statement. Notice that 'no one' is written as two words in order to avoid it looking like 'noon' or 'none'.
@Dias14 (176)
• Indonesia
19 Mar 13
Someone "is used if you are where there are lots of people around you, but you do not know who you mean. Sounds confusing? Consider the following sentence -" Someone has left the room and started screaming loudly "means you do not know exactly who leave the room with all the people around him.
"Somebody" is used if you are where you are referring to a particular person. For example, "Somebody has left the room and started screaming loudly." The use of "somebody" here is to refer to people you may know, but it is not known in the current situation.
"Someone" is used when we do not know the person and there are many people to decide which one you mean. While the use of "Somebody" is when we refer to someone, but in small amounts.
