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A filmmaker and a crooked lawyer shattered Denmark's self-image

(www.theguardian.com)
196 points RapperWhoMadeIt | 1 comments | 27 Mar 25 13:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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albert_e ◴[27 Mar 25 15:32 UTC] No.43494713[source]▶
> One out of every two Danes has seen the documentary.

Why not simpler English -- "half of the country has watched it"

Also pendatic aside -- i think "every two danes" is a stretch -- i am sure we can find many instances of "two danes" where both has watched it. Or neither. Some are being born as we speak (write).

replies(3): >>43494790 #>>43494879 #>>43495322 #
daedrdev ◴[27 Mar 25 15:48 UTC] No.43494879[source]▶
One out of every two X is an extremely common and perfectly reasonable phrase in english, meaning your complaint about finding 2 Danes who haven't watched it is nonsensical as we know they mean on average.
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1. albert_e ◴[28 Mar 25 01:11 UTC] No.43500263[source]▶
I know this format is common usage but don't see it commonly used to represent this fraction-- 50% or half -- where this construct seems needlessly long or formal.

The second part was just playful aside -- not serious. Ofcourse that didn't come through. I know there is a common sensical read that all readers will apply to it and it will not be misinterpreted. I thought this being HN people will find it amusing to treat it as a logical statement and parse.