Post AUm2LTTsVZPY48vVHk by FiXato@toot.cat
(DIR) More posts by FiXato@toot.cat
(DIR) Post #AUlQ2cLLXNYpn9W7JQ by clacke@libranet.de
2023-04-18T02:49:07Z
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Until today, for 2–3 decades, I thought there was a distinction between a mold (mildew, furry fungus) and a mould (a hollow, negative form, used in manufacturing).Nope!US English: Both are a mold.UK English: Both are a mould.aaaaarrghAt least now I have one less little thing to worry about getting right.
(DIR) Post #AUm2AW9WEcfxANB9ma by edavies@functional.cafe
2023-04-18T08:46:01Z
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@clacke One *fewer things. Aaaaarrgh, that's one more. 😞
(DIR) Post #AUm2AX2ov0uZvt3Jyq by clacke@libranet.de
2023-04-18T10:28:50Z
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@edavies Or one thing fewer?
(DIR) Post #AUm2AXWF9cRnP8ooqG by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T10:36:11Z
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@clacke @edavies One less. Fewer is only used in the plural. Sorry, English is weird.
(DIR) Post #AUm2LTTsVZPY48vVHk by FiXato@toot.cat
2023-04-18T10:26:42Z
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@clacke there is still a difference between draft and draught, right?
(DIR) Post #AUm2LU4OJocNtO0fCK by clacke@libranet.de
2023-04-18T10:29:55Z
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@FiXato Draft beers are not yet for consumption by the general public.
(DIR) Post #AUm2LUfc5QONkpQODQ by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T10:38:10Z
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@clacke @FiXato What about draughts vs checkers?
(DIR) Post #AUmV9BRSeFnbJZHsTQ by edavies@functional.cafe
2023-04-18T16:00:51Z
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@mansr Yes, English is weird but, sorry, no, not in the way you say. To quote _Mind the Gaffe: The Penguin Guide to Common Errors in English_ by R.L.Trask::« Though colloquial English is often different, standard written English users “fewer” with things that can be counted and “less” with things that cannot be counted: “fewer people” but “less money”. Do not write “less students” or “less players”.However, do not write “fewer than six weeks”. Here the expression “six weeks” denotes only a single period of time, and not a collection of six individual objects, and so the required wording is “less than six weeks”. »So it's more like an int/float distinction than singular/plural distinction.BTW, Trask concurs on mold/mould - something I, too, was confused about before getting this book.@clacke
(DIR) Post #AUmWinni7faaN8F6Nk by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T16:18:32Z
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@edavies @clacke Yes, fewer is used with countable quantities, less with uncountable ones. That's the general rule. However, we still say "one less" even for countable things. "One fewer" just sounds wrong. There are other exceptions as well. There is no simple rule.
(DIR) Post #AUmX9kdC113SMPAnTs by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T16:23:26Z
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@edavies @clacke Oh, and you probably think it wrong to split infinitives too. Because Latin or something.
(DIR) Post #AUmXVo57roe7QtkuJ6 by edavies@functional.cafe
2023-04-18T16:27:22Z
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@mansr You're probably right for a lot of colloquial English but I don't think you're right for standard English, e.g., as would be expected in an English language examination in the UK.(And, no, I have some hazy understanding about “split infinitives” not really being infinitives and that there's no reason to apply arbitrary Latin rules to English. I also write “data is”.)@clacke
(DIR) Post #AUmZYKQcm0buF48ppw by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T16:50:17Z
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@edavies @clacke There is no such thing as standard English.
(DIR) Post #AUmb3q1bRrfLAT1ing by penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2023-04-18T17:07:10Z
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@edavies @mansr @clacke I wonder if you're allowed to use 'fewer than six weeks' when you're counting weekly tasks.
(DIR) Post #AUmbTK7wfLXzlg962q by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T17:11:47Z
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@penguin42 @edavies @clacke You're always allowed to say whatever feels best in any given context. English doesn't have rules, only attempts at descriptions.
(DIR) Post #AUmcFVer67hBQjW3Xc by edavies@functional.cafe
2023-04-18T17:20:28Z
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@penguin42 Yes, I think so. You'd say “less than half the population” but ”fewer than half of the people”. Similarly, six weeks as a period of time slips over to being discrete objects when it stands for the task of putting the bins out, or whatever.@clacke
(DIR) Post #AUmcHpUCLejVVNdZvE by penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
2023-04-18T17:20:56Z
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@mansr @edavies @clacke I think it's more like the cat approach to life; English has plenty of rules, it's just most of us ignore them (possibly to annoy pedants).
(DIR) Post #AUmcSDk51G5fd81M5Q by mansr@society.oftrolls.com
2023-04-18T17:22:47Z
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@penguin42 @edavies @clacke Since there is no governing authority, there can be no rules.