Are there connotations of subtotals in the phrase “add up the total”?
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Does the phrase "add up the total" typically have a connotation that, from the list of all the numbers being added, there are some particular subtotals that either have already been calculated or at least could in principle be calculated?
Or is the phrase often used in cases where there are no meaningful subtotals that one could be interested in calculating from the list of numbers?
phrase-meaning connotation
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
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Does the phrase "add up the total" typically have a connotation that, from the list of all the numbers being added, there are some particular subtotals that either have already been calculated or at least could in principle be calculated?
Or is the phrase often used in cases where there are no meaningful subtotals that one could be interested in calculating from the list of numbers?
phrase-meaning connotation
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
1
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
2
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37
|
show 5 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Does the phrase "add up the total" typically have a connotation that, from the list of all the numbers being added, there are some particular subtotals that either have already been calculated or at least could in principle be calculated?
Or is the phrase often used in cases where there are no meaningful subtotals that one could be interested in calculating from the list of numbers?
phrase-meaning connotation
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
Does the phrase "add up the total" typically have a connotation that, from the list of all the numbers being added, there are some particular subtotals that either have already been calculated or at least could in principle be calculated?
Or is the phrase often used in cases where there are no meaningful subtotals that one could be interested in calculating from the list of numbers?
phrase-meaning connotation
phrase-meaning connotation
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
asked Jan 11 at 15:53
Julian Newman
101
101
Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
1
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
2
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37
|
show 5 more comments
Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
1
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
2
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37
Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
1
1
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
2
2
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37
|
show 5 more comments
1 Answer
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Totals and subtotals are independent; one does not require the other, since they are operations involving lists. You can sum up the entire list or just a portion.
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
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Totals and subtotals are independent; one does not require the other, since they are operations involving lists. You can sum up the entire list or just a portion.
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Totals and subtotals are independent; one does not require the other, since they are operations involving lists. You can sum up the entire list or just a portion.
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Totals and subtotals are independent; one does not require the other, since they are operations involving lists. You can sum up the entire list or just a portion.
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
Totals and subtotals are independent; one does not require the other, since they are operations involving lists. You can sum up the entire list or just a portion.
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
answered Jan 11 at 16:27
McHiggins
472
472
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Are you trying to use 'add up the total' and are concerned about meanings that people will infer wrongly, or are you reading and wonder what the author meant?
– Mitch
Jan 11 at 16:01
1
'Add up the total' is a rather unexpected expression. The DO of 'add up' usually refers to the constituent parts (add up these numbers / add up all the payments you've made'. 'Add up the total' means 'Work out the total by doing the necessary addition calculations'. But there is no requirement that there are necessary or significant subtotals among the numbers being added. Artificially, there usually are: many people would total 17 + 55 + 83 via the subtotal 100.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:01
Did you intend to write "add up the totals" (plural)?
– Lawrence
Jan 11 at 16:02
@Tom22 'Unexpected' in the sense that it's a usage quite distinct from the usual 'Add up these figures / those numbers / these costs / the numbers attending ...'. The expression 'add up the total' is very common.
– Edwin Ashworth
Jan 11 at 16:14
2
@EdwinAshworth As a veteran of the Accountancy profession I would say the word that is missing here is "grand total", which is the alternative measure to "sub-total", or "sub-sub-total". If there are no existing sub-totals in a list, there is no point in using "grand total". You can just ask "what's the total?" But when sub-totals appear, to make oneself clear, one needs to ask "What's the grand total?".
– WS2
Jan 11 at 17:37