When you’re near the coast and someone points and says “Hey, look at that big boat”, do you also feel the need to point out that the vessel in question is actually a ship since it’s gross tonnage is actually above 500?
Sure, words have meanings, but you can also be a little lenient in everyday conversation. You get what they’re saying, don’t you?
So if there were two vessels and someone said “Look at that big boat”, you’d assume they meant the smaller one because the other was a ship?
Likewise, if someone said “America has a gun problem”, you’re going to assume they mean every single country in both north and south America as a collective?
When you’re near the coast and someone points and says “Hey, look at that big boat”, do you also feel the need to point out that the vessel in question is actually a ship since it’s gross tonnage is actually above 500?
Sure, words have meanings, but you can also be a little lenient in everyday conversation. You get what they’re saying, don’t you?
If there is only one vessel, there is no need to disambiguate - the person adressed by the statement cannot misunderstand it.
If there are two vessels in the area pointed at, one large and one small, yes I will say ship for the large one and boat for the small one.
So if there were two vessels and someone said “Look at that big boat”, you’d assume they meant the smaller one because the other was a ship?
Likewise, if someone said “America has a gun problem”, you’re going to assume they mean every single country in both north and south America as a collective?
Seriously?
No, I won’t assume, I will ask a clarifying question