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Take the question How many euros can be exchanged for 5 USD?

I see two possible meanings:

  • It's asking about the amount of Euros that we must exchange to exchange to get 5 USD
  • It's asking about the amount of Euros that we can get by exchanging 5 USD

My logic here is that if we replace '5 USD' with some goods, then it surely is asking for the amount of Euros required to obtain that good. But is the original question ambiguous? What does it mean? Is it clear what's being asked?

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    Either interpretation can be understood by the passive can be exchanged, so context right before or afterwards can clarify the 2-way verb. The sentence exemplifies why passive voice can hide meaning - agency - who did the deed? Are we starting with euros or with dollars? Without context, my money's on starting with 5 USD, the only amount specified. Commented Nov 26, 2023 at 14:18
  • People often talk about exchange rates in simplistic ways: in retail transactions ignoring the difference between buying and selling rates, and not taking commission into account when quoting prices, and ignoring the fact that the rates quoted on the financial pages are averages. If you want a buying or a selling rate, you should specify that (and specifying the amount is good). This doesn't really have anything to do with English language though.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Nov 26, 2023 at 16:40
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    It sounds an unusual way to express this. "How many Euros will $5US get you [at the moment]?" is natural. Commented Nov 26, 2023 at 16:42
  • Your reasoning is correct in so far as the more natural reading of the sentence is: how much in euros do I need to give in order to get five dollars? Whether it is the only possible reading of it is debatable. But why would you want to use that sentence to express the idea, when there are better ways of doing so?
    – jsw29
    Commented Nov 26, 2023 at 17:04
  • I’m with @EdwinAshworth. One could even say (a bit sloppily) How many Euros is $5.00 US? As Stuart F points out, this doesn’t account for the fee that any transaction would incur, whichever is the currency you are buying and which one you are offering in exchange. That fee changes the actual, exact exchange rate. Commented Nov 26, 2023 at 17:06

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tl;dr: Euros are being given, not received.

Here’s the first definiton of exchange in the American Heritage Dictionary:

exchange v.tr.
1. To give in return for something received; trade: exchange dollars for francs; exchanging labor for room and board.
Source: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language via The Free Dictionary

Let’s use that to investigate your issue:

Question Passive: How many euros can [be given in return] for 5 USD?

Answer Passive: 4.57 euros can [be given in return] for 5 USD.

Question Active: How many euros can I/you/the bank [give in return] for 5 USD?

Answer Active: You/I/the bank can [give] 4.57 euros [in return] for 5 USD.

To test—if you must—swap in a cat for the five bucks:

Question Passive: How many euros can [be given in return] for this cat?

Answer Passive: 4.57 euros can [be given in return] for this cat.

Question Active: How many euros can I/you/the pet store [give in return] for this cat?

Answer Active: You/I/the pet store can [give] 4.57 euros [in return] for this cat.

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  • given in return? They exchanged dollars for euros at the border. Yes.
    – Lambie
    Commented Nov 27, 2023 at 14:18

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