Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's third season is here, but its Steam debut has failed to really bring in the player numbers.
  • MyTurtleSwimsUpsideDown@fedia.io
    403·
    5 个月前

    This distinction was first tentatively suggested by the grammarian Robert Baker in 1770, and it was eventually presented as a rule by many grammarians since then. However, modern linguistics has shown that idiomatic past and current usage consists of the word less with both countable nouns and uncountable nouns so that the traditional rule for the use of the word fewer stands, but not the traditional rule for the use of the word less.

    • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      126·
      5 个月前

      I love that there’s a wikipedia page on this.

      I hate that doing the wrong thing consistently automatically makes it the right thing.

      • parlaptie@feddit.orgEnglish
        20·
        5 个月前

        Maybe you should read the article, especially the section on historical usage. Saying ‘less’ was never wrong, there was just a bunch of fancy academics that came along once and said it’s wrong, while everyone else just carried on as usual.

        • addie@feddit.ukEnglish
          2·
          5 个月前

          Annoys me that “less” is always correct, which makes “fewer” completely redundant, and yet it’s a short word that could be valuable in conversation if opened up and reused for something everyday that has a long name.

          “Before I leave the house, I always check that I’ve got my keys, phone, and fure in my pockets.”

    • barsquid@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      5 个月前

      Use “less” for countable nouns and “fewer” for uncountable nouns as a little language prank.