Actually "but" logically functions the same way as "and". They are both logical conjunctions, which means they are language conjoiners. Example: To say you are a cat but I am not
is equivalent to saying: you are a cat and I am not
-Other words that function like "and"/"but": although, however, nevertheless, yet
-These are examples of logical conjunctions and they have the same truth tables in symbolic logic.
I'm curious about the example you have in mind where "but" means "some" because generally those two are not logically equivalent. "Some" is a logical quantifier, which denotes the existence of something. Example: Some things are cats but some things are not cats
Comments
Do you have an example of a question that uses "but" in this context?
"But" indicates a change in direction of the argument. I don't think it functions as a logical indicator.
Actually "but" logically functions the same way as "and". They are both logical conjunctions, which means they are language conjoiners. Example: To say
you are a cat but I am not
is equivalent to saying:
you are a cat and I am not
-Other words that function like "and"/"but": although, however, nevertheless, yet
-These are examples of logical conjunctions and they have the same truth tables in symbolic logic.
I'm curious about the example you have in mind where "but" means "some" because generally those two are not logically equivalent. "Some" is a logical quantifier, which denotes the existence of something. Example:
Some things are cats but some things are not cats
but cannot mean some.