The sign over the express checkout lane at the store near my daughter’s high school says it’s intended for ’12 items or fewer’.
My heart sings every time I see that sign – even if I have 14 items, and need to use a different line.
The difference in usage between ‘less than …’ and ‘fewer than…’ is not rocket science; it can be learned in ten seconds, and retained for a lifetime. It would be great if we decided as a society to preserve this distinction, before it dissolves into the muddled word soup of our increasingly mushy language.
If you are comparing ‘How MUCH of something two people have; one has more, the other less.
If you are comparing ‘how MANY’ of something two people have; one has more, the other fewer.
If you can count them, the word for the smaller quantity is ‘fewer’. FEWER pint glasses at a table probably means LESS beer will be consumed. (This is a helpful way for me to remember this).
There. Now get offa my lawn!
My heart sings every time I see that sign – even if I have 14 items, and need to use a different line.
The difference in usage between ‘less than …’ and ‘fewer than…’ is not rocket science; it can be learned in ten seconds, and retained for a lifetime. It would be great if we decided as a society to preserve this distinction, before it dissolves into the muddled word soup of our increasingly mushy language.
If you are comparing ‘How MUCH of something two people have; one has more, the other less.
If you are comparing ‘how MANY’ of something two people have; one has more, the other fewer.
If you can count them, the word for the smaller quantity is ‘fewer’. FEWER pint glasses at a table probably means LESS beer will be consumed. (This is a helpful way for me to remember this).
There. Now get offa my lawn!
No comments:
Post a Comment