Are there any differences between these two sentences?

[maral55]

Is there somebody I can speak to?
Is there anybody I can speak to?



Is it right that the first question has some more positive meaning? I mean we expect to find somebody there?

[Daruma]

someone
a person who is not known or mentioned by name: There’s someone at the door. Someone’s left their bag behind. It’s time for someone new (= a new person) to take over. It couldn’t have been me—it must have been someone else (= a different person). Should we call a doctor or someone? The difference between someone and anyone is the same as the difference between some and any.

some
used with uncountable nouns or plural countable nouns to mean ‘an amount of’ or ‘a number of’, when the amount or number is not given: There’s still some wine in the bottle. Have some more vegetables. In negative sentences and questions any is usually used instead of ‘some’: I don’t want any more vegetables. Is there any wine left? However, some is used in questions that expect a positive reply: Would you like some milk in your coffee? Didn’t you borrow some books of mine?

[2006]

is there somebody i can speak to?
Is there anybody i can speak to?

Is it right that the first question has some more positive meaning? i don't think so, not in that situation without any special context. The two questions have the same meaning; you are asking if there is somebody/anybody there that you can speak to.


i mean we expect to find somebody there? if you expect that there is somebody there, you would just ask to speak to them.

2006

[maral55]

You mean that as a native speaker, these two questions makes no differences in the meaning for you?

[2006]

You mean that as a native speaker, these two questions makes no differences in the meaning for you?

That's correct, but sometimes "somebody" does have a positive meaning and "anybody" doesn't.

Imagine that you finished a job much sooner than I thought you would. If I thought that you must have had help, what would I say to you?

Somebody must have helped you.
Anybody must have helped you.