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Likewise, watching a group of people, one will quickly notice which individuals act with the greatest confidence, attract the most glances and nods of agreement, are least reluctant to break into the discussion, speak in a softer voice yet expect everybody to listen (and laugh at their jokes!), voice unilateral opinions, and so on.
Source: Our Inner Ape by Frans B. M. Waal
Does this sentence mean some people are unwilling to get into discussions or they are eager to break into them?
Which do you want to say?
For the former, I would word it like this:
Some people are a little reluctant to break into the discussion.
or, in a more extreme case:
Some people are very reluctant to break into the discussion.
If the latter, I'd say:
Some people are not at all reluctant to break into the discussion.
The phrase "some are least reluctant" sounds problematic to me. Those seem to be two words that don't go together very well; I'd avoid that phrasing.
It means that some individuals are very little reluctant to break into the discussion.
least adj- the superlative of little' that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded bythe'; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree; "didn't care the least bit"; "he has the least talent of anyone"
Source: Collins dictionary
Though the meaning is clear, I agree that "least" is not appropriate in the sentence. It should be replaced by " at all" or " very little".
Taken literally and without trying to second guess intended meaning, which is difficult without more context, then
... are least reluctant to break into the discussion ...
is synonymous with
... are most comfortable with breaking into the discussion ...
SUPPLEMENTAL:
All of the answers are good. This is just by way of a heads-up, to emphasize the need for context.
What gave everyone difficulties is the some which you introduced into the sentence. Some are least ADJECTIVE does not work well in English. Some is an indefinite adjective or adverb: it does not identify specific individuals. But least and, usually, most are ordinarily only applied to definite entities, the specific individuals of a group who lie at one or the other extreme of the scale. (This is why in most cases least and the least are interchangeable.) Your source did not employ some but which—a definite pronoun or determiner.
There are exceptions. If ADJECTIVE and its complements in effect ‘partition’ the group modified by ADJECTIVE, it may be appropriate to use some to designate one or another part. For instance, this would work:
Some individuals are least reluctant to break into the discussion, while others are least reluctant to initiate a new discussion.
And most, unlike least, can also be employed as a non-superlative adverb meaning essentially very; when this is the case there is no obstacle to using some:
Some were present only to hear the panelists' views and were most reluctant to break into the discussion.
This use is mostly literary; you are unlikely to hear it in conversation.
Consider the situation where everyone in the room is a reluctant participant in the corporate ice-breaker role play... but some are more reluctant than others, and some are less reluctant than others.
Amongst the group is an individual who is the least reluctant of them all, or perhaps there are several who are equally 'least reluctant'.
They would rather not do it, as connoted by 'reluctant', but if everyone has to do it then these least reluctant few will go first.
The sentence does not mean they are reluctant or eager, and is a poor use of language because it omits the situation and inclination of the many between the extremes of 'I'm never gonna do that,' and "I love these things."
