and/or

[navi tasan]

Are these sentences correct:
1) John, Joseph, Harry, Tom and Barry live in Boston, London and Austin.
2) John, Joseph, Harry, Tom and Barry live in Boston, London or Austin.
3) John, Joseph, Harry, Tom and Barry live in either Boston, London or Austin.


I suppose '1' means that those five men in those three cities, without telling us who lives where.

'2' and '3' seems to mean that they all live in the same city, but the speaker does not know which city they live in.

Is that correct?

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[teechar]

I suppose '1' means that those five men live in those three cities, without telling us who lives where.

That's right.

'2' and '3' seems to mean that they all live in the same city, but the speaker does not know which city they live in.

If that's what you want it to mean, add "all" before "live."

 

[Tdol]

You are moving into territory where it doesn't much matter.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much,

I don't understand Tdol's reply. Does '2' mean anything at all without 'all'?

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[Tarheel]

We can agree that those sentences are grammatically correct, but that doesn't mean they make sense.

 

[Matthew Wai]

You are moving into territory where it doesn't much matter.

Does it mean the exact locations in the territory do not much matter?

 

[Tarheel]

Does it mean the exact locations in the territory do not much matter?

Close enough. You can't from those sentences tell who lives where.

 

[Tdol]

I don't understand Tdol's reply. Does '2' mean anything at all without 'all'?

You have five people and three places- and/or, which have some ambiguity, are not going to sort this mess out, especially when people can live in more than one place.