Every or each

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partinstance

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Hello.

If I chose wrong section, please move the topic to the right place.


I would like to clarify one issue. It would be great to get an answer from a native english speaker.
Please look at the phrase.
Sale of alcohol is allowed in the following cases:
Every national holiday and the previous day
.

What is the exact meaning of that phrase?

For example: If we have 30 holidays in the year, how many days are allowed for sale – 31 or 60?
If I understand correctly, “every” means a group of things without separation. Then “the previous day” means one day before all holidays together and we have 31 days here. Is it right? If yes, could you help me to make correction in the phrase? I want to say 60 days (as in example above). Can I use "every" for that?


Thank you for any help.
 

Tdol

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I'd say 60 would be the maximum possible, but if you had a two-day holiday, it would depend on the details of the law whether that meant two days or one day for the previous period, so it could be under.
 

partinstance

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I'd say 60 would be the maximum possible, but if you had a two-day holiday, it would depend on the details of the law whether that meant two days or one day for the previous period, so it could be under.

Thank you for response!

One more clarifying question. Combination "the previous day" means one day directly/immediately before something. Is that right? It is true in Russian translation (my native).

for example: April 9 is holiday. So the previous day is April 8 only. Not April 7,6 etc
 
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Roman55

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The previous day certainly means (only) the one day preceding the day, or period, being considered.

I must admit that, "Every national holiday and the previous day." isn't a very clear statement, even if the inference is that it means the day before each of the holidays.

A less ambiguous wording might have been, "Every national holiday and its eve." I think that leaves no room for misinterpretation. It might sound a little stiff, though.
 
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