Does somebody mind if I open the window?

[GeneD]

Does somebody mind if I open the window?

In Raymond Murphy's "English Grammar in Use" there is the following explanation on the usage of "some" and "any": "We use some [in questions] to talk about a person or thing that we know exists, or we think exists: Are you waiting for somebody? (I think you are waiting for somebody)"

Is the example sentence possible in a situation when a speaker knows from the facial expression of somebody listening to them that they could mind opening the window? Would it be natural to use "somebody" in such circumstances?

 

[GeneD]

And there is another example:
Do you live anywhere near Joe? - No, he lives in another part of the town.
What if the speaker knows that the interlocutor lives near Joe and asks somewhat rhetorically? Should they use "somewhere" in this case?
Do you live somewhere near Joe? If you by any chance see him, could you tell him that his mother is looking for him?

 

[GoesStation]

Does somebody mind if I open the window?

In Raymond Murphy's "English Grammar in Use" there is the following explanation on the usage of "some" and "any": "We use some [in questions] to talk about a person or thing that we know exists, or we think exists: Are you waiting for somebody? (I think you are waiting for somebody)"

Is the example sentence possible in a situation when a speaker knows from the facial expression of somebody listening to them that they could mind opening the window? Would it be natural to use "somebody" in such circumstances?

No. Use anyone or anybody.

 

[GoesStation]

And there is another example:
Do you live anywhere near Joe? - No, he lives in another part of the town.
What if the speaker knows that the interlocutor lives near Joe and asks somewhat rhetorically? Should they use "somewhere" in this case?
Do you live somewhere near Joe? If you by any chance see him, could you tell him that his mother is looking for him?

Anywhere would be more natural. You can recast it as a negative though: Don't you live somewhere near Joe?