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  1. In the entire history of English not one native speaker has produced "91 view", so while I am closing this as a duplicate, which it is, it really also is general reference and even common knowledge, and as such way too basic for this site.

  2. In the entire history of English not one native speaker has produced "91 view", so while I am closing this as a duplicate, which it is, it really even is general reference and also common knowledge, and as such way too basic for this site.

What, if any, is the difference in meaning between 'also' and 'even' in (1)? Is (2), in which 'also' and 'even' have been interchanged, grammatical?

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In this case even means approximately ‘what is more, moreover’.

Even doesn’t fit well in the first part of the clause, where really implies ‘in contrast to’ the previous clause, while even implies ‘to a greater degree’—the two adverbs seem to contradict each other. It does fit well in the second part, where it lifts general reference to the even higher level of common knowledge.

The sequence may be paraphrased

I am closing this as “Duplicate”, which it is
BUT
it is actually “General Reference”, too—
AND NOT JUST
ordinary “General Reference”
BUT
“Common Knowledge”,
a fact so widely known that any native speaker could be your reference.

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  • 1
    I don't know of any situation where even means “what is more, moreover” and it certainly doesn't have such a meaning in the example. -1.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Commented Dec 6, 2013 at 0:11
  • 1
    @jwpat7 What do you take even to mean in general reference and even common knowledge?
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Dec 6, 2013 at 0:38
  • 1
    @jwpat7 American Heritage Dictionary even, adv. 1.b Indeed; moreover. Used as an intensive.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Dec 6, 2013 at 1:00
  • 1
    (a) “it is general reference and even common knowledge” ↔ “it is general reference and some people think it is common knowledge” (ie even = possibility, not certainty, here). (b) AHD's definition appears to support your point of view, although I don't agree that that def applies here. Note, neither of AHD's examples is a convincing example of such usage. Even doesn't carry a sense of indeed or moreover in either AHD example. (c) Since my comments reflect opinion rather than real evidence, I won't say more, but if you happen to have a convincing reference, please post.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Commented Dec 6, 2013 at 2:03
  • “… if you had seen what I have seen of heresy, you would not think it a light thing even in its most apparently harmless and even lovable and pious origins” — Shaw. “The ability to consider, or even to prefer, the interests of others to our own … “— Niebuhr “The whole purpose of the Buddhist was to put back the clock, or even to stop the clock, or even to smash the clock”— Chesterton
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Commented Dec 6, 2013 at 2:31

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