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Are both equivalent?

I ask this because in my language both translate as the same thing. Could someone explain their use?

We have the smallest customer queue.

We have the fewest customer queue.

THank you.

Portugueseporto
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1 Answers1

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They are not the same. The first one is correct, and the second one is bad grammar.

"Fewest" is always a quantifier that means "smallest in number", whereas "smallest" is always an adjective that means "smallest in size". I don't believe the two words can ever have the same meaning.

Quantifiers that signify a plural quantity are followed by a plural noun. But "customer queue" is singular. This means, "fewest" is being incorrectly used as an adjective to modify "customer queue".

"We have the fewest customer queues" would be grammatically correct, but has quite a different meaning to your first sentence.

gotube
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  • Go, could you contrast the difference between a quantifier and an adjective? I tried, but couldn't understand where you want to get. – Portugueseporto Nov 27 '22 at 03:11
  • As far as I know, both quantifiers and adjectives come before a noun (Q+N) or an adjective and a noun (Q+A+N). – Portugueseporto Nov 27 '22 at 03:17
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    Quantifiers that signify a plural quantity are followed by a plural noun. But "customer queue" is singular. "We have the fewest customer queues**" is grammatically correct, but has a different meaning to your first sentence. – gotube Nov 27 '22 at 03:20
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    "Fewest" always means "smallest in number", whereas "smallest" always means "smallest in size". I don't believe the two words can never have the same meaning. – gotube Nov 27 '22 at 03:22
  • You are a priceless gem, GO. ahaha. Got it. Thanks. – Portugueseporto Nov 27 '22 at 03:23
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    You could also say "We are in the queue with the fewest customers", – JavaLatte Nov 27 '22 at 04:03
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    @JavaLatte Yes. Thanks ;) – gotube Nov 27 '22 at 04:16