meaning of 何台も何台も

[letslearn]

皆さんこんにちは、
文の中で「何台も何台も」どういう意味ですか
文脈は。。。学校に校舎の中で火事になった。

けたたましいサイレンを鳴らして、消防車が、何台も何 台も走っていく．

A piercing siren rang out, Fire Engines, set off.

Is it saying many? Or asking how many?
何… how?
台… counter?

よろしくお願いします

 

[nekojita]

Just "many".

Here 何 is just standing in for an unspecified number (台 is indeed the counter for vehicles).

 

[Toritoribe]

Is it saying many? Or asking how many?
何… how?
台… counter?

何台 and 何台も are completely different. Check your textbook again.

 

[letslearn]

I can find 台も as meaning unit. As in 車三台も 3 cars.

 

[Toritoribe]

No. The point is the structure "interrogative + も". You've learned 誰も, どこも or いつも is not used for questions(except yes-no question), right?

 

[letslearn]

誰も anybody/nobody
いつも always/never
どこも anywhere/ nowhere
何台も any number/ no number.

So 何台も何台も in this case would be emphasising any number (many in this case) of fire engines are coming because of the ear-splitting sound.

 

[Toritoribe]

The -te form means "with (their sirens blaring)" in that case, not indicating "reason/cause".
走っていく is not "are coming".

 

[letslearn]

Teiku can mean to start towards or begin etc so is it more like..

With their ear piercing sirens ringing, many Fire Engines, proceeded towards the fire.

 

[Toritoribe]

Right. Just one more thing, 何台も何台も, not just 何台も, shows that fire-engines run over again and again.

 

[letslearn]

Thanks for your great explanations nekojitasan and toritoribesan.