Which is correct?
Few people knew the way, didn't they?
Few people knew the way, did they?
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1Same as for "nobody". But there's a difference here between "few" and "a few".– Peter ShorCommented Nov 8, 2012 at 14:45
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Related: english.stackexchange.com/questions/64646/…– Andrew Leach ♦Commented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:05
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I would bail on this and simply write, "Few people knew the way, right?"– RobustoCommented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:13
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2Why the down vote? This is a legitimate question?– RobustoCommented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:39
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3 Answers
The question is difficult, because the example itself is unwieldy at best. As Peter pointed out, few and a few have opposite meanings in this context, so it would be unusual to use either where there is risk of confusion. Since few here means 'not many', and simple reference to negatives gives us Not many people knew the way, did they?, I would say few also takes did. Conversely, a few, meaning 'some', would take didn't. But whichever you mean, it is better to recast the sentence.
answered Nov 8, 2012 at 15:00
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3It is a difficult question; indeed, it made an interesting homework exercise for my Intro Ling class. Commented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:06
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+1 for recasting the sentence. English constructions like question tags aren't something that always work, are they?– RobustoCommented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:38
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There's another problem with tag questions: pitch, stress, and intonation. The second question can be asked in at least three ways with different meanings. One way asks for confirmation: "Yes, few did". One suggests the assertion is false because the speaker implies that many knew the way. One, without question intonation, declares the speaker's certainty and asks nothing: in writing it would end with a period, not a question mark.– user21497Commented Nov 8, 2012 at 16:46
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@BillFranke: can you expand on your third point? Leaving aside that without a question mark it isn't really a tag question, I know no construction using did they and a full stop (apart from did they but know it and the like, or perhaps "I crashed your car". "Did you." which requires a different speaker.). Commented Nov 8, 2012 at 16:53
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Few means almost none => implying negativity => Did they.
A few means, little but there is some => Didn't they.
Few people knew the way, did they?
A few people knew the way, didn't they?
Source: Google => PDF document
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2That's right. Few (but not a few) is a Negative Trigger, and requires an affirmative tag; a few is not negative and requires a negative tag. Commented Nov 8, 2012 at 15:04
Few people knew the way, did they? This is a negative start, just a few up from nobody! A positive tag works well. A same-way tag (few/didn't) would not work - as NEGATIVE same-way tags are rare, and usually sound awkward.
A few people knew the way, didn't they?/ did they? Both work. As 'a few' is seen as positive, the negative tag is fine, and denotes a checking question or something closer to a statement. "A few people knew the way, didn't they!"
As positive-positive same-way tags are perfectly acceptable, the positive 'did they' tag works. Probably said in response to an earlier comment, or evidence that somebody knew the way! But it's a checking response. A few people knew the way, did they? Oh good. That's a relief.
