Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihopb.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihopb!suem From: suem@ihopb.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) Newsgroups: net.misc Subject: Re: Is English decaying rapidly? Message-ID: <721@ihopb.UUCP> Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 09:03:02 EST Article-I.D.: ihopb.721 Posted: Wed Oct 30 09:03:02 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 02:23:23 EST References: <1427@cae780.UUCP> <10600197@uiucdcs> <197@bnrmtv.UUCP> <1044@jhunix.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 17 >In article <197@bnrmtv.UUCP> perkins@bnrmtv.UUCP (Henry Perkins) writes: >>A recurring source of irritation to me is all the supermarket signs which >>say "x items or less" rather than "x items or FEWER". >>{hplabs,amdahl,3comvax}!bnrmtv!perkins --Henry Perkins >That is shorthand for "X items or less than X items". It isn't a mistake. -Kenneth Arromdee It *is* a mistake. The correct expression if "X items or *fewer* than X items." When the quantity is countable, the word is fewer, when the quantity is not countable, the word is less. (This is also one of my pet peeves.) -- Sue McKinnell ...!ihnp4!ihopb!suem IH 6N226 x5313