responsible/fully responsible

[navi tasan]

1-This factor is responsible for the spread of the disease.

Does this mean that "this factor" is the only one responsible for the spread of the disease or not necessarily?
Could one use this sentence if "this factor" is one of the factors responsible for the spread of the disease?

Would it change anything if one says "fully responsible" instead of "responsible"?

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[JohnParis]

It seems rather straight forward to me.
"This factor is responsible" is quite clear. By adding "fully" you risk an oxymoron (extremely loud, incredibly close).
Does this mean that "this factor" is the only one responsible for the spread of the disease? YES.
Otherwise, one would say "this factor" is one of the factors responsible for the spread of the disease (or something to that effect).

 

[SoothingDave]

By adding "fully" you risk an oxymoron (extremely loud, incredibly close).​

Those aren't oxymorons. "Jumbo shrimp" is an oxymoron.

 

[JohnParis]

You're absolutely right, Dave. I was wrong and it was awfully good of you to point that out.
Sometimes it's simply impossible for me to remember the correct term. Obviously, they weren't terribly good choices.
I made a pretty ugly mistake and am clearly confused since I thought they were almost exactly oxymora.;-)

http://grammar.about.com/od/rhetoricstyle/a/100-Awfully-Good-Examples-Of-Oxymorons.htm

 

[Tdol]

There are other ways around this- you could say that this factor is partially responsible​, etc.