A moment is not measurable. By definition, it’s an approximation of how long something will take when it’s not known how long something will take. Be it minutes, hours or days. The moment is very handy.
‘Few’ is equally unmeasurable. One is one, a couple is two but a few is anything beyond that. Does it stop at ten? Mentally, I assume people think that a ‘few’ is about three or four but then what is five? Who can say?
Which reminds me, am I the only person who can remember 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of my banking memorable information but when asked for 4 and 5, I have to count them off on my fingers? Weird if I am.
Anyway…
According to general definition, ‘few’ denotes a small number (though not what ‘small’ signifies) while ‘moment’ is slightly more than an instant.
The reason I’m wondering about these words is because I am convinced that people are using these terms more frequently to cover the fact that they have no idea how long something will take.
For instance, today I had a Zoom call with Ann and Charles from Talking Newspaper. Beforehand, I made sure everything was working. Naturally, everything wasn’t so I ran through some stuff to make sure I was prepared on time.
At least three times I was told something would take a ‘few moments’. I now understand this to mean it would take a small number of not quite an instant. Which, to my way of thinking is no time at all. Except it was.
As it turned out, the Zoom meeting went very well. We were meeting to discuss the possibility of recording a magazine next week.
Each month (before the plague) the Talking Newspaper would include a longer, more magazine type recording as well as the normal weekly news. Ann and Charles have been working on re-establishing it remotely. Next week will be the first one since before the first Lockdown.
Mirinda should be very pleased because it will be an extension of the ever-popular Ann and Gary Show.
Meanwhile, in the colon…While I was feeling better than I have for the last two days, I was far from recovered. I spent a lot of time within close proximity of the toilet while Mirinda gallivanted around the Greater Stockholm Area. Zoom aside, the biggest excitement in my day was sitting out the back throwing a stick for Emma and keeping an eye on the constantly exploring Freya.
I did have dinner tonight. Only time will tell if this was a wise move. And by ‘time’ I mean quite a few moments.
