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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 2 of 2 1 2 Re: less-fewer ukase seapea #186251 08/01/09 02:23 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh when 'fewer' and 'less' and 'under' are synonymized? What the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage has to say about less, fewer (link). This rule was invented in 1770 by Robert Baker in his Reflections on the English Language (link). Quote: XLVII. LESS. THIS Word is most commonly used in speaking of a Number; where I should think Fewer would do better. No fewer than a Hundred appears to me not only more elegant than No less than a Hundred, but more strictly proper. As the MWDEU entry goes on to show, the earliest examples of less being used with countables goes back, at least, to King Alfred in his Latin to Old English translation in 888 CE. Baker was another of those cranky 18th century linguists who hoisted their opinions on usage in rules of correctness. Another interesting thing about less is that it is the suppletive comparative form of little. The form lesser is a double comparative akin to betterer. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: less-fewer ukase zmjezhd #186255 08/01/09 05:17 PM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 And, somehow, against all logic, more works both for counting (versus fewer) and measuring (versus less). How can this be? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: less-fewer ukase Faldage #186337 08/06/09 02:41 PM Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 13 seapea stranger seapea stranger Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 13 Originally Posted By: Faldage And, somehow, against all logic, more works both for counting (versus fewer) and measuring (versus less). How can this be? ...which leads us right to much and many. I couldn't take many more pills than I already take. I had many fewer headaches when I had much less stress. How much more of this can we stand? I don't understand why these words bug me too much when they're not used the way I prefer them to be. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 2 of 2 1 2 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,913 Posts229,810 Members9,187 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo 9,187 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 members (), 520 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 30 A C Bowden 15 LukeJavan8 5 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 10,852 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,944 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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