Why does どれだけ seem to mean the opposite of どれ + だけ?


The other day I read the word `どれだけ` which means `how long; how much; to what
extent`. I've read several [example
sentences](http://tangorin.com/examples/%E3%81%A9%E3%82%8C%E3%81%A0%E3%81%91),
and I that's all well and good, but I cannot shake the feeling that it's
really counter-intuitive to me.

If どれ means `which; whichever; any` and `だけ` means `only; just`, I would guess
combining them would give some sort of exclusive amount, for example in "Only
this many people may enter" or something along those lines.

I may be reading too much into this (or it's gone way over my head), but it
still seems strange to me. Are there other question words that have だけ in
them? I did a cursory trail-and-error search, and couldn't find any.




The quick answer: rather than interpreting this as だけ "only", this is 丈
("length"). Normally read as take, voices during compounding.

Before someone calls me out on it, the more precise answer: both are the [same
word](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss&p=%E3%81%A0%E3%81%91).
The word dake "only" is written as 丈 and derives from 丈 (take). The
translation "only" is not always appropriate as is clear in this case.

> Are there other question words that have だけ in them?

Yes. At least the following: \- これだけ \- それだけ \- 及ぶだけ \- 出来るだけ

As the above dictionary link mentions, remenants of take can be found in words
なるたけ and ありったけ.




The quick answer: rather than interpreting this as だけ "only", this is 丈
("length"). Normally read as take, voices during compounding.

Before someone calls me out on it, the more precise answer: both are the [same
word](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&stype=0&dtype=0&dname=0ss&p=%E3%81%A0%E3%81%91).
The word dake "only" is written as 丈 and derives from 丈 (take). The
translation "only" is not always appropriate as is clear in this case.

> Are there other question words that have だけ in them?

Yes. At least the following: \- これだけ \- それだけ \- 及ぶだけ \- 出来るだけ

As the above dictionary link mentions, remenants of take can be found in words
なるたけ and ありったけ.

