[Idiom] among the rest

[notletrest]

I don't want you to explain it according to the dictionaries.The reasson is simple. I can look it up in them. I want to know something beyond them.
As we know if we should choose one among a ,b, and c. We can only choose one from a, b and c.But the rest may be d, e or f.Of course among the rest only including d, e, or f. If you agree with me, trouble is coming:
"Many guests were present and there were two Englishmen among the rest." In my eyes the two Englishmen sbould belong to d, e or f. who were not present.What's your idea? I am listening with reverence atrention.Thanks!

 

[JMurray]

"Many guests were present and there were two Englishmen among the rest."

notletrest.
I see two ways to interpret this.

1) Many guests were present and there were more to come, including two Englishmen.
2) Many of the people present were guests, the others who were present (the rest) were not guests (perhaps not currently lodging there) and among them were two Englishmen.

not a teacher

 

[notletrest]

"Many guests were present and there were two Englishmen among the rest."

notletrest.
I see two ways to interpret this.

1) Many guests were present and there were more to come, including two Englishmen.
2) Many of the people present were guests, the others who were present (the rest) were not guests (perhaps not currently lodging there) and among them were two Englishmen.

not a teacher

Thanks for your attention.

 

[notletrest]

The Englishmen were present. Consider this as a math problem. Everyone is a member of a set. The Englishmen are in a subset. Members of the subset are also members of the set. "The rest" are composed of "many guests."

It sounds well,but doesn't convince me.It seems to give a forced explain.I am afraid.Thanks.

 

[freezeframe]

It sounds well,but doesn't convince me.It seems to give a forced explain.I am afraid.Thanks.

That's because your original sentence is "forced". It doesn't sound like something a native speaker would say.

 

[notletrest]

That's because your original sentence is "forced". It doesn't sound like something a native speaker would say.

1.I should correct what I said last. "It sounds well,but doesn't convince me.It seems to give a forced explain.I am afraid.Thanks. "There is a wrong word i.e. explain , among them. It ought to be explanation instead. I beg your parden!
2.My original sentence is not said by me , but from a book by a famous professor in china.No doubt that sentence is idiomatic English. I came across a lot of similar ones in books ,such as "The whole group started off, I myself was among the rest. We finished our work in half an hour .I was among the rest. Thirty passed, myself among the rest..."
I am sorry to trouble you.