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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 161
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Joined: Jun 2002
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from todays AWAD letter:
"The sorts of people who feel that special blend of
wincing despair and sneering superiority when they see EXPRESS LANE - 10 ITEMS OR LESS..."
well, I think you are this special people so can you explain why do you feel despair seeing the sign? what's wrong with "10 or less"?
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
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The grammar gurus would tell you that "less" is reserved for things you can't enumerate, like "sugar" or "sand" or "wind", and you should use "fewer" if you can reasonably count the things you're talking about. Since a number is given expressly (10), it really should be "10 items or fewer" but most people don't worry too much about that distinction. I get the feeling that by "popular vote" this particular rule will eventually fade away. Edit: Should I have used "less" or "fewer" quotation marks in the above post? 
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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The grammar gurus
I doubt that any of these grammar gurus can tell you why we would need two words for comparison of countable (fewer) and measurable (less) quantities if the one being spoken of is of a smaller value than the other but manage to scrape by quite well with only one if the one is of a greater value (more).
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
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manage to scrape by quite well with only one if the one is of a greater value (more).
Yes, after I posted that, I pondered that problem, too. But I'd already self-replied once today so I thought I'd let it go.
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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It's one of those distinctions I just have to shrug off. Ten items or less doesn't bother me, but I'd have a problem with "The guy in front of me has less items than I do." But still, more is always more.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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But still, more is always more.
... unless you're Mies van der Rohe.
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2002
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Joined: Jan 2002
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enthusiast
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Somebody hadda say it, slithy.
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addict
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...only one if the one is of a greater value (more).
Surely there's manyer than that.
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