Differentiate between usages of 全部: all or completely?


Relatively new learner here. In a [forum on
Duolingo](https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/33157918?from_email=comment&comment_id=43475149),
as the app itself only teaches by example, there's a discussion regarding
translating this phrase:

> 窓{まど}は全部{ぜんぶ}閉{し}まっていますか？

Without「全部」it seems to be: "Is the window closed?" or "Are the windows
closed?"

With the introduction of「全部」however, how would you distinguish between:

  * Are _all_ the windows closed? / Is _every_ window closed?
  * Are the windows _completely_ closed?
  * Is the window _completely_ closed?

And if some of these are invalid, how would you rephrase / translate them?

**Edit** : Duolingo's suggested translation was: "Are the windows all shut?",
which just adds to the confusion. Here, "all" could be being used as an adverb
to mean, "completely shut", or as a predeterminer (I think that's the right
term) as in, "all the windows".

Someone left an answer indicating that they thought 全部 was acting on the verb,
& I added this comment; however, they then deleted their answer. So now I'm
back do being uncertain, lol.




All Japanese quantifiers are adverbs. 全部 is an adverb too, meaning "wholly" or
"entirely". That means, it is true that it can be ambiguous like "Are the
windows all shut?" between "all windows" and "completely". That said, the "all
of" reading usually prevails, and also the most common way to say "all windows
are shut".

But it is not impossible to distinguish your three sentences.

  * Are _all_ the windows closed? / Is _every_ window closed?  
→ 全部の窓が閉まっていますか？

  * Are the windows _completely_ closed?  
→ 窓は全部完全に閉まっていますか？

  * Is the window _completely_ closed?  
→ 窓は完全に閉まっていますか？

As definiteness and number are not essential in Japanese, they can be
translated in many other ways depending on context, but those are I think the
most concise examples.




All Japanese quantifiers are adverbs. 全部 is an adverb too, meaning "wholly" or
"entirely". That means, it is true that it can be ambiguous like "Are the
windows all shut?" between "all windows" and "completely". That said, the "all
of" reading usually prevails, and also the most common way to say "all windows
are shut".

But it is not impossible to distinguish your three sentences.

  * Are _all_ the windows closed? / Is _every_ window closed?  
→ 全部の窓が閉まっていますか？

  * Are the windows _completely_ closed?  
→ 窓は全部完全に閉まっていますか？

  * Is the window _completely_ closed?  
→ 窓は完全に閉まっていますか？

As definiteness and number are not essential in Japanese, they can be
translated in many other ways depending on context, but those are I think the
most concise examples.

