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Minor grammar nitpick: "Less grocery store trips" should be "Fewer grocery store trips." At this point I'd consider the former correct. It's just too commonly
by lacampbell 10y ago
Minor grammar nitpick: "Less grocery store trips" should be "Fewer grocery store trips."
At this point I'd consider the former correct. It's just too commonly used in too many contexts. When more natives speakers than not don't know about a rule, I dunno if it's valid anymore.
- OJFord 10y agoExcept the ignorant just accept both, whereas those who appreciate the distinction will be jarred.
- lacampbell 10y agoI think the battle is lost here already. I'm an educated native English speaker and I could literally care less if someone says "less" when, traditionally, "fewer" would have been used. It still annoys me that people describe things as "lite" instead of "light", but I realise the battle is lost as well.
- robjan 10y agoYou could care less. So that means you do care when someone makes the mistake?
- lacampbell 10y agoI knew that would trip someones grammar wire.
- tmnvix 10y agoI'm guessing you are from the US. I am from Australasia and the fewer/less distinction is largely respected in my experience. I find the example jarring. Regarding light/lite, I am doubtful that this is a problem outside of the US. Don't give in so easily!
- lacampbell 10y agohttps://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/SearchProducts?search=cottage+cheese#url=/Shop/ProductDetails%3Fstockcode%3D753001%26name%3Danchor-cottage-cheese-lite%26searchString%3Dcottage%2Bcheese https://shop.countdown.co.nz/Shop/SearchProducts?search=cott... I think I have some of this in my fridge right now. "Lite" is used here a lot. I hear native English speakers in NZ make grammar mistakes here all the time. I'm really curious that you hear the less/fewer distinction adhered to.
- jamiethompson 10y agoI think you mean that you _couldn't_ care less
- lacampbell 10y agoBut that's the thing. I literally could.
- OJFord 10y agoMaking it a thoroughly meaningless thing to say. I could also care less, obviously, since I'm posting here talking about how I do care and find the use annoying, and you disagree and think it doesn't matter. Telling me that you 'care some non-zero amount' doesn't mean much at all. The phrase is couldn't care less, that is, 'zero units of care', i.e. you don't care.
- lacampbell 10y agomy eyes literally rolled so hard my head exploded reading that. I could care less what you think of my grammar.
- jamiethompson 10y agoBy which you mean that you _do_ care what they think of your grammar?
- lacampbell 10y agoOk this is no fun anymore. I was trolling. I tried to make it blindingly obvious by combining two common grammar pedant triggers in one sentence but people were so keen to be self-righteous that it flew over their head. I know the correct grammar, and I just think it's sad that people care.
- jamiethompson 10y agoI don't understand why people refuse to understand this. I could care less = I care some amount. Possibly a lot. I couldn't care less = I care no amount. I do not care.