Native English Speaker Help

Are you a native English speaker?

Yes, I am a British English speaker.

You agree with the explanation of Tes yeux noirs?

A mystery wrapped in a canundrum and all that. I do hope you come back and give us the answer! Its become a bit of a riddle now! 😊

Honestly? Idk what to make of it. As I stated in an earlier post, without more information, I would hate to speculate. I was assuming maybe that wasnt an old friend at all in the photo, or they were never friends. 🤔 Hmm....

No mystery and no conundrum (note spelling). Already explained.

If you read the whole conversation:
Bryan: Is that an old photo of your friend?
Cathy: No.
Bryan: Okay, I always think about that person on the picture, who I thought was your friend. But they are not the same then.
Cathy (looks closer): No they aren't.


Do you think Cathy's "No they aren't" can really mean "No, (I was wrong), they are the same (person)."?
Other option would be that it means " No, they are not the same (person)."

Which option makes more sense to you?

dylan22, you have already been told the correct answer. What is it that you do not understand?

I just want to know the explanation of Lilkanyon, cause she is also a native speaker and seems to have an other view.

dylan - the only correct interpretation is that Cathy has confirmed that the person in the photo was not her friend.

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generally, the sentences attributed to Bryan are poorly written and could be interpreted in a couple of ways - but Cathy's comments are clear.

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Whoever is in that photo was not a friend of Cathy.

You can safely ignore his/her posts.

I just wonder, cause if Cathy's answer is that clear that the person in the picture is not her friend, why is a native speaker having doubts then.

The alleged "native speaker" wrote this:

The entire thread is a bit silly. I am sorry I ever posted here.

I would still love to get your answer.
Let's take this conversation:
Bryan: Is that an old photo of your friend?
Cathy: No.
Bryan: Okay, I always think about that person on the picture, who I thought was your friend. But they are not the same then.
Cathy (looks closer): No they aren't.


What is your interpretation of Cathy's last sentence "No they aren't"?
a) "No, (I was wrong), they are the same (person)."
b) " No, they are not the same (person)."

good grief, read the posts.

best to let it die now. All options, I hope, have been explored?

Simply put, the people in the photos she does not consider her friends. That does not mean she doesnt know them, just they arent her friends. Thats the simplest way I can intrepret what you told us.

But it's only 1 photo and 1 person in the picture. So Cathy cannot mean "they are not my friends." cause it's only one person in the picture.

I better explain why it's so important to me:
It has private reasons, as I am searching a family member. Bryan in the conversation is me. It has the following background:
Cathy described a person that could be my father (cause of the same name), so I sent her an old photo of him...

Bryan (sending a low resolution photo): Is that an old photo of your friend?
Cathy: No.
Bryan (sending a higher resolution of the photo): Okay, I always think about that person on the picture, who I thought was your friend. But they are not the same then.
Cathy (looks closer, as the photo is now high resolution): No they aren't.


Unfortunately the contact died and I want to know the meaning of Cathy's last answer, If she identified the person on the picture (my father) as her friend or if it's not the same person.
So only one answer is right:
a) "No, (I was wrong), they are the same (person)."
b) " No, they are not the same (person). "