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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Is English decaying rapidly?
Message-ID: <185@opus.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 05:05:08 EST
Article-I.D.: opus.185
Posted: Wed Oct 30 05:05:08 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Nov-85 03:14:41 EST
References: <1427@cae780.UUCP> <10600197@uiucdcs> <197@bnrmtv.UUCP> <1044@jhunix.UUCP>
Organization: NBI,Inc, Boulder CO
Lines: 24

> >A recurring source of irritation to me is all the supermarket signs which
> >say "x items or less" rather than "x items or FEWER".
> 
> That is shorthand for "X items or less than X items". It isn't a mistake.

AAARRRGGHHHHH.  We just found another one.

Yes, it IS a mistake.
The difference between "less" and "fewer" is that "less" refers to a
measure of a continuous quantity while "fewer" refers to a smaller number
of discrete objects.

For example, your gin&tonic may have less gin in it than you like.  It may
not have fewer gin than you like.

On the other hand, you may drink fewer gin&tonics than I have.  You may not
drink less gin&tonics than I have.

Of course, the situation is muddied by the fact that "more" is an
acceptable opposite of both "less" and "fewer".  However, my current
gin&tonic contains no gin at all, so...
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...At last it's the real thing...or close enough to pretend.